DuPont Launches New Capacity for Safety Glass Interlayers

Company Responds to Growing Global Demand for Impact-Resistant Glass

WILMINGTON, Del., Oct. 18 -- DuPont today announced that new production capabilities for its safety glass interlayers are now operational. The facilities expansions were put in place in response to strong global demand growth for impact-resistant glass.

Key to the expansion is the opening of the company's new manufacturing line in Fayetteville, N.C., which makes DuPont(TM) SentryGlas(R) Plus interlayers for global markets.

Originally introduced to address the extreme demands of the hurricane market, SentryGlas(R) Plus is finding new applications around the world including embassies, high rise building facades, balustrades, handrails, floors and overhead glazing. DuPont's latest glass interlayer offering provides architects with expanded capabilities for meeting increasingly stringent building codes. It is stronger, clearer and more durable than traditional interlayers.

DuPont also opened a new facility in Wilmington, Del. for making SentryGlas(R) Expressions(TM), an innovative safety glass offering that brings together DuPont inkjet and polymer science to meet the needs of architects and designers for decorative architectural glazing. With the new technology, designers now have the ability to customize designs and images with photographic realism, along with the safety and security benefits of laminated glass.

"The investment in these facilities responds to strong global demand growth and demonstrates DuPont's commitment to this business and to becoming the leading supplier and innovator of glass laminating solutions for a better, safer world," said Craig F. Binetti, vice president and general manager - DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers. "SentryGlas(R) solutions are opening up entirely new applications for the use of glass in buildings where it has never been used before, with many new possibilities for building design."

DuPont also announced that it has successfully launched additional production capabilities at the company's Retrim safety glass interlayer operation in Zlin, Czech Republic, expanding DuPont's presence in Central and Eastern Europe for automotive and architectural laminated glass markets.

In response to increasing Asian demand for safety glass for automotive and architectural applications, DuPont has added production capability for its DuPont(TM) Butacite(R) polyvinyl butryal interlayer for windshield applications with shade bands at its Ulsan, Korea facility. This will result in improved service levels for these products to customers in the Asia region.

DuPont Glass Laminating Solutions manufactures Butacite(R) and SentryGlas(R) and Spallshield(R) interlayers at sites in the United States, Korea, Czech Republic and Germany. Business sales are reported as part of the DuPont Performance Materials platform.

DuPont is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.

The DuPont Oval, DuPont(TM), The miracles of science(TM), SentryGlas(R), Spallshield(R) and Butacite(R) are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates.