PolyOne to distribute DuPont engineering polymers in North America

James R. Hay, DuPont’s director of engineering polymers sales, noted that PolyOne’s focus on development and customer service will help extend DuPont’s ability to provide design, process, and material development support from concept through commercial adoption. PolyOne also provides a range of value-adding services, development support being one of the most prominent.

DuPont materials that soon will be distributed by PolyOne include: Crastin PBT polyester, Delrin acetal, Thermx PCT polyester, Zenite liquid crystal polymer, Hytrel TPC-ET thermoplastic polyester elastomer, Zytel HTN high-performance polyamide, Minlon mineral-reinforced nylon resin, Zytel nylon resin, and Rynite PET polyester resin. DuPont will maintain additional regional distribution in Canada and Mexico.

If you are a user of any of those resins, PolyOne says DuPont will be contacting former Ashland customers with information on their new PolyOne contact and on the timeline for the transition. Since 2002, PolyOne has made five major supplier transitions, and most recently has done so with Bayer, Ineos ABS, Diamond Polymers, and MRC.

Expressing appreciation for DuPont’s choice, Michael L. Rademacher, PolyOne VP and general manager of distribution, cited his company’s distribution network and infrastructure as suited to the broad range of the DuPont polymers, and pledged uninterrupted supply and premium service. The company has five distribution centers in North America and more than 20 warehouse sites.

While expressing regret at DuPont’s decision, Michael Gilbert, Ashland’s VP for plastics, said, “There have been many changes in the marketplace, especially in the current economic climate.” He noted that Ashland’s long-term relationship with DuPont continues as Ashland will distribute DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers. In addition, Ashland distributes the engineering polymers for other producers including BASF, Sabic Innovative Plastics, Chem Polymer, Eastman, and Evonik, among others. —[email protected]