Fortron to Double Capacity of Wilmington Plant

WILMINGTON, N.C.--Oct. 1, 20059, 2005--Fortron Industries' is investing $65 million to double the capacity of its Wilmington plant. The Company feels that this decision points to more than just a huge vote of confidence for the greater Wilmington area - they believe that it will also provide a strong economic impact on the growing business community. Fortron, a joint venture between Japanese company Kureha and U.S. based Ticona Technical Polymers, manufactures polyphenylene sulfide, or PPS, a high-performance, heat-resistant plastic used to make airplane wings, car parts and circuit boards. When the expansion is complete in 2007, Fortron will become the world's largest manufacturer of PPS. The company began as a grass roots facility just 12 years ago.

Fortron believes that the expansion of the plant is significant to both the plastics industry as a whole as well as the business climate in Wilmington and surrounding areas. To celebrate the plant expansion, Fortron will host a reception for local and state officials and business leaders on Wednesday, October 26 at 1:30 p.m.

Small Town, Big Business

Before agreeing on Wilmington as the site for the largest PPS plant in the world, Fortron considered lower cost locations in Asia, Latin America and Europe. Ultimately, Wilmington was chosen for several reasons, including the deepwater port, excellent transportation system, supportive local government and tech-savvy workforce.

According to city officials, Fortron's large dollar investment and strong impact on the local infrastructure make this a highly valuable project because it points to Wilmington's broad appeal to a range of industry. With Fortron as a key business player, the community's economic base will diversify and strengthen, allowing for future growth in a variety of areas. And Fortron believes that with Wilmington competing for business on a global scale, the entire state's reputation as a leader in the plastics industry is further enhanced.

Leader in the Industry

By committing to the expansion of the Wilmington plant, Fortron has secured its spot as the PPS industry leader. The expansion means top billing in the plastics industry for Fortron, and will help to satisfy a growing demand for PPS in the electrical, automotive, aerospace, and consumer markets. North Carolina has a history of success in the plastics industry - it's the ninth largest plastics manufacturing state for shipment in the U.S. with more than 2,000 exports totaling $859 million. It is also the ninth largest state for plastics industry employment with more than 42,000 workers. Fortron, which started as a small, grass roots plant in 1993, has gone through five previous expansions. With this latest expansion, Fortron has emerged a leader dedicated to meeting the needs of the nation's growing markets.