BP Announces Sulfone Polymers Expansion.Business Editors ALPHARETTA, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 6, 2001 BP announced today that its engineering polymers business is expanding its sulfone sulfone /sul·fone/ (sul´fon) 1. the radical SO2. 2. a compound containing two hydrocarbon radicals attached to the —SO2— group, especially dapsone and its derivatives, which are potent antibacterials effective polymers plant in Marietta, Ohio Marietta is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Washington County. The municipality is located in southeastern Ohio along the Ohio River. The population was 14,515 at the 2000 census. , and its sulfone monomer monomer (mŏn`əmər): see polymer. monomer Molecule of any of a class of mostly organic compounds that can react with other molecules of the same or other compounds to form very large molecules (polymers). plant in Augusta, Georgia. Construction is already underway at both locations and the additional capacity is planned to be on line in the fourth quarter of 2001. The Marietta and Augusta plants are part of BP's engineering polymers business that will be transferred to Solvay Corporation in a deal announced in December 2000. Earlier this month, it was announced that BP and Solvay had signed the detailed binding agreements on the deal which they hope to complete shortly, subject to regulatory approvals. Solvay's acquisition of the engineering polymers business, including the leading sulfone polymers and Amodel(R) polyphthalamide businesses, will increase Solvay's sales in the high-margin specialty polymers sector by 50 percent. Solvay's turnover in the fast growing market is anticipated to reach approximately $800 million (900 million Euros). The Marietta expansion will increase the plant's Radel(R) R polyphenylsulfone and Radel(R) A polyethersulfone production capacity by 40 percent. The Augusta expansion will increase the capacity of sulfone monomer by 15 percent. "These expansions will better position us to support the growth of our customers and also provides us greater opportunity to explore and develop new markets and applications," said George Corbin, global business manager of the sulfone polymers business. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Corbin, the expansions support the business's strategy to proactively grow its leadership position in the sulfone business. "In addition to our capacity expansions, we've increased our product development and marketing resources globally," Corbin said. "We continue to improve the quality of our existing products and are expanding the breadth of our product offerings." The company's new grade of optical-quality Udel(R) polysulfone for fiber optics fiber optics, transmission of digitized messages or information by light pulses along hair-thin glass fibers. Each fiber is surrounded by a cladding having a high index of refractance so that the light is internally reflected and travels the length of the fiber and its new line of Acudel(TM) polyphenylsulfone blends are examples of the strategy, according to Corbin. Sulfone polymers are high-performance, amorphous Unorganized or vague. A lack of structure. For example, the amorphous state of a spot on a rewritable optical disc means that the laser beam will not be reflected from it, which is in contrast to a crystalline state which will reflect light. See crystalline. engineering thermoplastics used in a variety of demanding applications that require high end-use temperatures, excellent chemical resistance, superior dimensional and hydrolytic hy·drol·y·sis n. Decomposition of a chemical compound by reaction with water, such as the dissociation of a dissolved salt or the catalytic conversion of starch to glucose. stability, transparency and toughness. Industrial uses include aerospace, medical, business machines, plumbing plumbing, piping systems inside buildings for water supply and sewage. The Romans had a highly developed plumbing system; water was brought to Rome by aqueducts and distributed to homes in lead pipes—hence the name plumbing from the Latin word plumbum , automotive, electrical/electronics, fiber optics and food contact applications. The engineering polymers business manufactures a comprehensive line of sulfone polymers at its Marietta, Ohio, facility. The portfolio includes Radel(R) R polyphenylsulfone, Radel(R) A polyethersulfone, Udel(R) polysulfone, Mindel(R) polysulfone blends and the recently introduced Acudel(TM) polyphenylsulfone blends. Customer Inquiries: BP Amoco Polymers, 4500 McGinnis Ferry Road Ferry Road is one of the major roads of Edinburgh, Scotland, and is often referred to as an area in its own right. It runs from the eastern end of Davidson's Mains village in the west, to Leith in the east, passing through Goldenacre on the way. , Alpharetta, GA 3005. Phone: 800-621-4557 (US only) or 770-772-8200. E-mail: engpolymers@bp.com |
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