Kraton Unveils Latest Technological Advancements

HOUSTON, April 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc. (NYSE: KRA), a leading global producer of styrenic block copolymers or "SBCs," announces plans to highlight six of its latest innovations platforms for distinct end uses including wire and cable; soft skin technology; protective films and packaging; medical and  high temperature TPE solutions and isoprene rubber (IR) and IR latex during innovation seminars at the Shangri-La Hotel Guangzhou on May 17-18, 2011.    

A seminar is planned for each of the six innovation focus areas over a two day period and will run concurrently with CHINAPLAS 2011. "We decided to conduct seminars because we felt they would provide attendees with an intimate and in-depth overview of Kraton's latest innovation offerings for SBCs," said Prakash Kolluri, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Asia Pacific. "Kraton polymers offer breakthrough technology that gives end use products their unique qualities and characteristics and we believe this will be a clear take-away by those who attend the presentations," he concluded.

The presentations are open to interested parties and will be made in both English and Chinese. Reservations are not required. The presentation schedule follows:

Tuesday, May 17, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

• Kraton™ polymers for wire and cable applications
• New soft skin for automotive applications via slush molding technology
• Kraton compounds for protective film applications

 

Wednesday, May 18, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

• Transparent Kraton compounds for medical and packaging applications
• Innovative solutions for achieving high temperature performance with styrenic TPEs
• Cariflex™ Polyisoprene Rubber (IR) and Cariflex™ IR latex in medical applications

 

The presentations will be held on the 3rd floor of the Shangri-La Hotel (across the street from the CHINAPLAS 2011 Exhibition Ctr., 1 Hui Zhan Dong Road, Hai Zhu District, Guangzhou, (+86 20) 8917 8888). To reserve your personal consultation with our experts, please contact Shirley Xu at [email protected] or via phone at +8621 62896161106.

Media interviews can be scheduled by contacting Roxanne Wu or Charles Henderson of Edelman Public Relations Guangzhou, at [email protected], or [email protected], respectively or via phone at +8620 8732-2111.

For more information about Kraton Polymers' products, please visit our website at www.Kraton.com or e-mail [email protected]. Customer questions and other direct inquiries may also be addressed by calling +86 21 6289 6161 (China) or our USA headquarters at +1-800-4-Kraton.

About Kraton Polymers

Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc., through its operating subsidiary Kraton Polymers LLC and its subsidiaries, is a leading global producer of engineered polymers and, we believe, the world's largest producer of styrenic block copolymers ("SBCs"), a family of products whose chemistry was pioneered by us almost fifty years ago. SBCs are highly-engineered thermoplastic elastomers, which enhance the performance of numerous products by delivering a variety of attributes, including greater flexibility, resilience, strength, durability and processability. Our polymers are used in a wide range of applications, including adhesives, coatings, consumer and personal care products, sealants and lubricants, and medical, packaging, automotive, paving, roofing and footwear products. We currently offer approximately 800 products to more than 700 customers in over 60 countries worldwide, and are the only SBC producer with manufacturing and service capabilities on four continents. We manufacture products at five plants globally, including our flagship plant in Belpre, Ohio, as well as plants in Germany, France and Brazil, and a joint venture plant operated in Japan.

Kraton, the Kraton logo and design, Cariflex, Nexar and the "Giving Innovators their Edge" tagline are all trademarks of Kraton Polymers LLC.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements," which are statements other than statements of historical fact and are often characterized by the use of words such as "believes," "expects," "estimates," "projects," "may," "will," "intends," "plans" or "anticipates," or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. All forward-looking statements in this press release are made based on management's current expectations and estimates, which involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements.  These risks and uncertainties are more fully described in "Part I. Item 1A. Risk Factors" contained in our Annual Report on 10-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and as subsequently updated in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and include risks related to: conditions in the global economy and capital markets; our reliance on LyondellBasell Industries for the provision of significant operating and other services; the failure of our raw materials suppliers to perform their obligations under long-term supply agreements, or our inability to replace or renew these agreements when they expire; limitations in the availability of raw materials we need to produce our products in the amounts or at the prices necessary for us to effectively and profitably operate our business; competition in our end-use markets, by other producers of SBCs and by producers of products that can be substituted for our products; our ability to produce and commercialize technological innovations; our ability to protect our intellectual property, on which our business is substantially dependent; infringement of our products on the intellectual property rights of others; seasonality in our Paving and Roofing business; financial and operating constraints related to our substantial level of indebtedness; product liability claims and other lawsuits arising from environmental damage or personal injuries associated with chemical manufacturing; political and economic risks in the various countries in which we operate; the inherently hazardous nature of chemical manufacturing; health, safety and environmental laws, including laws that govern our employees' exposure to chemicals deemed harmful to humans; regulation of our customers, which could affect the demand for our products or result in increased compliance costs; international trade, export control, antitrust, zoning and occupancy and labor and employment laws that could require us to modify our current business practices and incur increased costs; our relationship with our employees; loss of key personnel or our inability to attract and retain new qualified personnel; fluctuations in currency exchange rates ; the fact that we do not enter into long-term contracts with our customers; a decrease in the fair value of our pension assets, which could require us to materially increase future funding of the pension plan; and concentration of ownership among our principal stockholder, which may prevent new investors from influencing significant corporate decisions.  Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update such information.

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For Further Information:
Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc.
Media: Marcie Coronado +1-281-504-4975

SOURCE Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc.