Eastman Receives 2012 Frost & Sullivan New Product Innovation Award for Automotive Glazing Materials

KINGSPORT, Tenn., July 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE:EMN) was awarded the prestigious Frost & Sullivan 2012 New Product Innovation Award for Automotive Glazing Materials for Saflex^® S series advanced solar absorbing polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayers.  The award was presented during the 2012 Excellence in Best Practices Awards Banquet at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Boston, Mass., on July 18, 2012.  Frost & Sullivan determined Eastman has distinguished itself by developing an innovative, drop-in solution for automotive OEMs to meet the challenge of increasing global fuel efficiency and CO₂ emissions regulations.

"Third party recognition such as this from Frost & Sullivan is very meaningful to Eastman. It demonstrates to us, our customers, and owners that we are developing innovative solutions that align with and address industry macro trends, as well as helping automotive manufacturers meet their sustainability goals," commented Aristotelis Karagiannis, Director of Eastman Advanced Interlayers Technology.  "For me and the entire team,  this is really a great honor and we are very grateful to Frost & Sullivan for taking the time to learn our solution and recognize us with this award.  We know that Eastman will value this, as well as our customers."

In addition to providing traditional safety benefits of automotive laminated glazing, Saflex S series solar absorbing interlayers effectively absorb solar heat transmitted through the vehicle's glazing, which reduce air conditioning usage and improve vehicle fuel economy and CO₂ emissions. Saflex S series interlayers are signal-enabling, UV-blocking and available in an acoustic formulation, as offered in Saflex Q series interlayers for laminated glass.

"When we launched Saflex S series and Saflex Q series solar interlayers in 2011, our goal was to provide a product that would bring value to both automotive OEMs and consumers," said Karagiannis.  "We are proud that Eastman's Saflex interlayer technology is recognized as the industry leader and we continue to innovate, offering a comprehensive product portfolio for automotive glazing that provides trusted, best-in-class heat and acoustic reduction for the global automotive laminated glass industry."

Frost & Sullivan is a global growth consulting company with more than 50 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies. The Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating achievement and superior performance in areas such as industry leadership and innovation. Industry analysis compares market participants and measures performance through in-depth interviews, analysis and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

Saflex S series and Saflex Q series solar products can be used in all automotive glazing applications, including the windscreen, sunroof, backlite and side laminate applications.  For additional product information, including product brochures, technical data, product offering and samples, please visit www.saflex.com/solaraward .

As of July 2, 2012, Eastman completed the acquisition of Solutia Inc. which now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Eastman Chemical Company.

Eastman is a global specialty chemicals company that produces a broad range of advanced materials, additives and functional products, specialty chemicals, and fibers that are found in products people use every day. As a world leader in the diverse markets it serves, Eastman is focused on delivering innovative and technology-based solutions while maintaining its commitment to safety and sustainability. Serving customers in approximately 100 countries, Eastman had 2011 pro forma revenues, giving effect to the Solutia acquisition, of approximately $9.3 billion. The company is based in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA, and, with the completion of the Solutia acquisition, now employs approximately 13,500 people around the world. For more information, visit www.eastman.com .

SOURCE Eastman Chemical Company