On September 14, Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE: EMN) announced that its Saflex® polyvinyl butyral (PVB) production facility in Suzhou, China has been upgraded.
This investment reflects Eastman's continued commitment to the glass processing industry and is a positive response to rising customer demand in the Asia Pacific region. This upgrade will shorten Eastman's delivery cycle in the region to continue to meet the needs of customers worldwide. This upgrade focuses on increasing the production capacity of Eastman's advanced sound insulation interlayer products, which are mainly used in the field of laminated glass for automobiles and construction.
Established in 2007, Eastman Suzhou is dedicated to meeting the growing demand for PVB in the Asian automotive industry. In 2012, Eastman increased capacity for PVB interlayers for automotive and construction. The upgrade will increase the production capacity of Eastman's acoustic interlayer products.
"Eastman is very much looking forward to the upgrade and improvement of the acoustic interlayer products in the Suzhou plant," said Heather Singler, global automotive market director for senior interlayer products at Eastman Specialty Materials. "With this investment, Eastman will further strengthen the service mezzanine The ability of glass manufacturers to meet the growing demand for high-performance, high-quality products in the Asia Pacific region. Eastman will continue to invest in production, technology and innovation to support the future needs of the automotive industry. "
The Saflex® Q series is an advanced three-layer PVB interlayer product that significantly reduces noise levels compared to standard automotive windshields and traditional tempered glass, helping to provide consumers with a superior driving experience.
The Eastman plants in Ghent, Belgium and Puebla, Mexico have a long history of producing PVB acoustic interlayers. Today, Eastman is introducing this mature technology to the Suzhou plant. Eastman is committed to creating the highest quality interlayer film products, and applies the expertise accumulated over the years to the Suzhou factory's sound insulation interlayer upgrade project to ensure that global uniform standards are adopted. PVB acoustic interlayer products from the Suzhou plant will be available for customer certification and use in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Saflex PVB interlayer films improve automotive laminated glass performance in a variety of ways, including head-up display technology, thermal insulation, noise reduction, safety, security, and UV protection.