Dallas, July 6, 2005 (CE: NYSE): Celanese Corporation announced today
the intention of a strategic investment in the construction of a state-of-the-art Vinyl Acetate Ethylene
and Conventional Emulsion Polymer facility in China. The new plant will incorporate the leading technology
from the other emulsions plants that Celanese operates around the world. The site selection process
is in an advanced stage and the facility is planned to be operational in the first half of 2007.
"We
view this strategic decision as a significant milestone for our growing emulsions business," said
Celanese Chief Executive Officer David Weidman. "It is also consistent with our commitment to the
Asia region – especially China – and our strategy of strengthening our product offering with higher-value
products." Celanese made its first emulsions acquisition from
Clariant in 2002 and completed the acquisition of the Vinamul emulsions business from ICI in February
2005. Celanese’s global emulsions business has 10 production facilities in Europe and North America
and a leading position in its respective markets. The Celanese Emulsions business serves a wide variety
of markets, including paints and coatings, adhesives, non-wovens, glassfiber, construction, paper, and
textiles. Celanese has been doing business in China since the
1960s and began to establish joint ventures in China in the 1980s. It has long-standing ventures in
cellulose acetate and recently established a new polyacetal engineering plastics joint venture site
in Nantong. In addition, Celanese operates a trading company in Shanghai and offices throughout the
mainland China.
Celanese is currently building a 600,000
metric ton acetic acid plant in the Nanjing Chemical Industry Park in Nanjing, China. The plant will
be ready for production in late 2006 or early 2007. The company also recently announced the investment
in a world-scale 20,000 ton GUR® ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) plant in Asia that
will be operational in the second half of 2007.
Celanese
Corporation (NYSE:CE) is an integrated global producer of value-added industrial chemicals based in
Dallas, Texas. The Company has four major businesses: Chemicals Products, Technical Polymers Ticona,
Acetate Products and Performance Products. Celanese has 29 production plants, with major operations
in North America, Europe and Asia. In 2004, Celanese Corporation and its predecessor had combined
net sales of $5.1 billion. The presentation of combined net sales of Celanese Corporation with its predecessor
is not in accordance with U.S. GAAP. For more information on Celanese Corporation including a
reconciliation of the combined net sales, please visit the company's web site.
Forward-looking
statements (statements which are not historical facts) in this release are made pursuant to the safe
harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that
all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including those risks and uncertainties
detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available
from the Company.
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