LA PORTE, Texas, Jan. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Braskem
(BM&FBOVESPA: BRKM3, BRKM5 and BRKM6; NYSE: BAK; LATIBEX:
XBRK), the largest thermoplastics resins producer in the Americas,
today announces the startup of its new UTEC Ultra High Molecular
Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) production plant at its La Porte, Texas site. Braskem sells
high-performance UHMWPE under the trade name UTEC, developed and
produced through Braskem's proprietary technologies.
"This is an exciting day for Braskem America and our colleagues
worldwide. Our team has worked diligently over the last two years
on the construction, commissioning and startup of this
state-of-the-art U.S. based UHMWPE UTEC production plant. Braskem
has now significantly strengthened its global position as one of
the largest producers of UHMWPE, developing and producing advanced
UTEC engineered polymer applications that meet the needs of our
clients and their end -market customers. We are looking forward to
continuing to grow and advance Braskem's UHMWPE business
worldwide," said Christopher Gee,
Braskem Global Business Director for UTEC.
The new UTEC production facility allows Braskem to better serve
its clients in North America as
well as serve European clients via exports. With over 700 U.S.
based team members, Braskem America has a regional headquarters in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and six
production plants: four in Texas
(La Porte, Oyster Creek and
Seadrift), one in Pennsylvania (Marcus
Hook) and one in West
Virginia (Kenova). In
addition, a modern Innovation & Technology Center located in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
strengthens Braskem's partnerships with its clients across
North America, while supporting
the development of innovative solutions and improving existing
products and processes. In mid-2016, Braskem announced the
enhancement of its Innovation and Technology Center in Pittsburgh with advanced UHMWPE research and
development capabilities to support the launch of UTEC production
in the U.S.
UTEC is an engineered polymer with excellent mechanical
properties, such as high abrasion resistance, impact strength and
low coefficient of friction. It is a self-lubricating,
high-strength, lightweight machinable product used for
semi-finished goods. UTEC is eight times lighter than steel
and lasts ten times longer than High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE).
The product is utilized in a vast array of applications in the
following industries: automotive and transportation, electronics,
fibers and textiles, industrial and heavy equipment, material
handling, oil and gas, pipe and mining, porous plastics, and
recreation and consumer.
For additional information about UTEC's product benefits and
applications, please visit www.braskem.com/utec.
ABOUT BRASKEM
Braskem is one of the world's leading
plastics and chemical companies with 41 industrial plants in
Brazil, the United States, Germany and Mexico.
Braskem is the largest producer of thermoplastic resins in the
Americas and the leading producer of biopolymers in the world,
creating more environmental-friendly, intelligent and sustainable
solutions through chemicals and plastics. Known for innovative
solutions such as I'm green Polyethylene™ made from renewable
sugarcane and UTEC®, the company's own trademarked Ultra
High Molecular Weight Polyethylene for high-performance
applications, Braskem's products and technologies enable the
automotive, packaging, healthcare, and construction industries to
produce goods that enhance quality of life for people around the
world.
Braskem America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Braskem S.A.
headquartered in Philadelphia. The
company is the leading producer of polypropylene in the United States, with six production plants
located in Texas, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and a Technology and Innovation
Center in Pittsburgh. For more
information, visit www.braskem.com.
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SOURCE Braskem America, Inc.