As a leading supplier of engineering polymers, Advanced Engineered Materials (AEM), which includes the company’s Ticona engineering polymers businesses and its engineered polymers equity affiliates, leverages its competitive advantage with high-quality products and services, as well as its know-how in application technologies and development. AEM’s high performance engineering polymers position Celanese at the top of the value chain, constituting 16% ($808 million) of Celanese’s total net sales. Ticona engineering polymers are mainly used in the automotive, electronics, medical technology and consumer products industries, often replacing metal or glass. Ticona is intensifying its presence in Asia with its joint venture partners, while simultaneously continuing measures to increase productivity and improve cost position.

Together with our 45%-owned venture Polyplastics Co., Ltd. ("Polyplastics"), our 50%-owned venture Korea Engineering Plastics Company Ltd., or KEPCO, and Fortron Industries, our 50%-owned venture with Kureha Chemicals Industry of Japan, we are a leading participant in the global engineering polymers business.

The Nanjing GUR(R) Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene facility began operation in July 2008. This unit is part of a multi-year investment by Ticona in China and throughout Asia to provide and commercial resources focused on customer application development and regional world-scale monomer, polymer and compounding production facilities. Ticona is establishing other manufacturing units and research and development capabilities in China that will produce advanced engineered polymers and compounds for customers throughout Asia.