SANDY RUN -- Eastman Chemical Company announced Tuesday it will extend its specialty copolyester production to its manufacturing site here.

The investment/expansion is consistent with the company's previously announced plans to increase its global copolyester manufacturing capacity by transitioning large-scale manufacturing assets to copolyester assets at its South Carolina site.

The site will become the second Eastman facility in North America producing the copolyester family of specialty plastics. The additional copolyester production is expected to come on-line in the first half of 2008.

Eastman declined to give specifics on the investment due to market competition.

The arrival of the company's new IntegRex technology is expected to increase production at the plant.

"As the production at the site increases, the company will transition many employees to this new technology," Eastman Chemical spokesperson Fletcher Dean said.

Known for their clarity and toughness, as well as their ease of primary and secondary processing, copolyesters from Eastman are used in a broad range of applications including rigid medical and electronics packaging, cosmetics and personal care packaging, medical devices, plastic cards, point of purchase displays and shrink film.

"This is an exciting new investment for Eastman's South Carolina site," said Barry Falin, vice president for performance polymers manufacturing. "The site will be celebrating its 40-year anniversary this year. One of the keys to the success of the site over this 40-year period is the ability for the site to continue to transform itself. This new investment is in keeping with that ongoing transformation process."

"It's always great to see a company with a long-standing presence in our state recognize the strengths of our economy and choose to expand here," said Joe Taylor, South Carolina secretary of commerce. "Eastman Chemical has been a strong corporate citizen in South Carolina for nearly 40 years. The company's contributions to grow the local community, create opportunity, jobs and innovation have been substantial."

Eastman manufactures and markets chemicals, fibers and plastics worldwide. It provides differentiated coatings, adhesives and specialty plastics products. It is considered the world’s largest producer of PET polymers for packaging and is a supplier of cellulose acetate fibers.

Founded in 1920 and headquartered in Kingsport, Tenn., Eastman is a Fortune 500 company with 2006 sales of $7.5 billion and approximately 11,000 employees.

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