HOUSTON, March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Kraton Performance
Polymers, Inc. (NYSE: KRA), a leading global producer of styrenic
block copolymers or "SBCs," announces enhancements to its official
website to showcase the key performance attributes and latest
technological advancements in NEXAR polymers sulfonated polymer
membrane technology.
Kraton Polymers debuted NEXAR polymers in the USA, China,
and Germany in 2010 and most
recently enhanced its website to showcase the features, benefits,
and applications of this innovative technology. The innovative and
key performance attributes of NEXAR™ polymers are very unique in
that they improve the performance and efficiency of many products
in a myriad of applications that include water management,
industrial separation, and the enhancement of high performance
textiles and clothing.
NEXAR polymers help designers develop water management systems
that effectively remove contaminants from many natural water
resources, in addition to effluent water from industrial
manufacturing plants, to make them suitable for use or reuse.
Applications in water management include: Pervaporation,
Electrodialysis (ED) and Electrodialysis Reversal (EDR), Reversed
Electrodialysis (RED), Capactivie Deionization (Desalination),
Nanofiltration (NF), and Ultrafiltration (UF).
NEXAR polymers offer selective permeability in a nonporous
membrane, deliver an excellent water flux and moisture transmission
rate, do not require special equipment or processes, provide high
strength in wet and dry environments and are chemical (strong acids
and strong bases) and chlorine resistant. They are ideal for use in
high-performance, breathable coatings and membranes, sports
apparel, outdoor apparel and gear, military and industrial
uniforms, and medical and geotextile applications.
NEXAR polymers can improve the performance and efficiency of
energy recovery ventilation (ERV) systems in industrial, medical,
commercial and residential applications. They help ERV systems more
efficiently reduce the heating, ventilation and air conditioning
system load by reinforcing their effectiveness. NEXAR polymers, in
conjunction with ERV systems, have the ability to recycle air
inside of any space where air quality is important including
commercial and residential buildings, airplanes, trains and
automobiles.
The new polymer architecture of NEXAR polymers demonstrates
outstanding capabilities and features that can be used to coat or
laminate a substrate, or cast as a pure membrane film. Those
customers using the solution for casting, coating, blending,
spraying, or dipping operations often have unique requirements
regarding the solutions viscosity. Techniques for viscosity
modification which include use of additives (polar and non-polar)
and other commonly practiced methods and procedures have been
successfully applied by Kraton Polymers to meet those requirements.
Other critical features offered by NEXAR polymers include the
following:
- High water flux rate
- Ion selectivity
- Chemical resistance to chlorine
- Low electrical resistance
- High electrical conductance
- High water transport rates
- Good mechanical strength both wet and dry
- Good dimensional stability in wet and dry conditions
- Membrane is supplied in dry form as rolled goods and is stable
under ambient conditions; do not require special packaging for
shipment
- NEXAR polymers can be applied using current commercial coating
and laminating lines.
"The decision to showcase NEXAR polymers on our website was
essential to educating our customers, partners, and innovators
about Kraton's latest scientific advancements in water transport,
filtration and separation technology," said James Dieter, Vice President, Market
Development. "The information on our website should further
distinguish our innovation from any other currently offered in the
market today," he concluded.
For more information about NEXAR polymers, please visit
www.nexarpolymers.com. Customer questions and other direct
inquiries may be addressed via email to nexar.polymers@kraton.com
or by calling 1-800-4-KRATON.
About Kraton
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.
© Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc. 2011. All rights
reserved.
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http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100728/DA42514LOGO)
For Further Information:
Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc.
Media: Marcie Coronado
+1-281-504-4975
SOURCE Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc.