4 Dec 2001
SYNETIX APPOINTED AS EXCLUSIVE GLOBAL DISTRIBUTOR FOR GREAT LAKES' CATALYST GRADE ANTIMONY TRIOXIDE FOR USE IN POLYESTER MANUFACTURE
December 4, 2001 - Zürich, Switzerland – Great Lakes Chemical Corporation (NYSE:GLK) and Synetix, the catalyst business of the ICI Group, announced today, at the Polyester 2001 congress, that Synetix has been awarded an exclusive global distributor agreement for Great Lakes’ catalyst grade antimony trioxide for polyethyleneterephthalate (PET).
Synetix is the only dedicated catalyst business serving PET producers. The company is a leader in catalyst development and know-how and has recently launched new catalyst technology for PET based on titanium chemistry. Kevin Fothergill, Business Manager for Polymer Catalysts at Synetix commented, "Catalysis is at the heart of polyester manufacture. The addition of antimony trioxide will complement our titanium-based catalyst technology, taking us closer to our goal of being the leading supplier of catalysts for PET."
Great Lakes is the market leader in antimony based products for the plastics industry, where antimony oxide is used as a highly effective flame retardant synergist. Great Lakes’ customers are guaranteed a unique security of supply as the company sources raw materials from a minimum of 5 different countries, thereby reducing their dependence upon Chinese sources.
“The combination of Great Lakes’ expertise in antimony trioxide manufacture and the catalyst know-how of Synetix will result in a unique product and service combination” adds Dr Paul Bridges, Business Manager for Antimony products at Great Lakes.
Great Lakes will continue to produce the antimony oxide catalyst grade products, which will be marketed and sold by Synetix under their VERTECTM brand name.
Catalyst grade antimony oxide is a very high purity product with high solubility in ethylene glycol. This allows the product to be introduced into the PET reactor as a solution or suspension instead of in powder form.
Synetix will stock the catalyst grade antimony trioxide at locations in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific.
Reader enquiries
Great Lakes Chemical Corporation
9025 North River Road
Suite 400
Indianapolis
Indiana 46240
U.S.A.
Notes for editors
Great Lakes Chemical Corporation is the world’s leading producer of certain speciality chemicals for such applications as flame retardants, polymer stabilisers, fire extinguishants, water treatment, as well as a growing line of performance and fine chemicals for the life sciences industry. The stock of the company is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
Synetix is a global business with around 5,000 customers in over 85 countries. The company employs around 800 people world-wide and has production facilities in Germany, India and the UK and sales teams across the globe. It is headquartered in Cleveland, UK.
For more information please visit the Great Lakes Polymer Additives web site at www.pa.greatlakes.com and the Synetix website at www.synetix.com
