Topas® for Blister Packs - Packaging Ticona offers its partners in various markets a specially tailored product portfolio that facilitates progressive and innovative developments. Photo courtesy of Ticona / Celanese

Dallas, Texas; Florence, Ky., March 24, 2005 - Jobwerx News - As part of its portfolio optimization, Celanese Corporation decided in December 2004 to put its COC Business Unit up for sale. Celanese believes that this business will have a more successful future in the portfolio of another owner that can realize additional synergies. Business operations will continue to be conducted, as before, by the COC Business Unit of Ticona and will be further developed successfully in partnership with the new owner.

Demand for cyclic olefin copolymers (COC) is growing rapidly. The continous expansion of global production capacities testifies to the high interest in this new material. Ticona significantly increased its sales last year, also because of the broad spectrum of applications that Topas addresses in comparison with other COCs.

Quality and availability of Topas® COC are secured

“We will continue to conduct our Topas-related research and development, production and marketing activities with no restrictions whatsoever,” explaines Thomas Hensel, Managing Director of Ticona. “There are no plans to phase out the product. At the present time, we are holding discussions with a number of investors who are interested in acquiring the COC business. In view of the ongoing negotiations, we are not at liberty to announce any further details at present.”

Celanese is very interested in finding a new owner that will exploit growth opportunities faster and be committed to sustainable development of market potentials. In the past, Celanese has successfully divested businesses that were better-suited to the buyers’ portfolios, thereby enabling improved strategic alignment.

Great interest in transparent high-tech polymer

Topas COC from Ticona offers high transparency, purity, rigidity and heat resistance coupled with excellent moisture barrier properties and dimensional stability. Since the market launch four years ago typical applications have been: pharmaceutical blister packs, flexible packaging for food and medical products, pre-filled syringes, vials, diagnostic parts and optical components. Today, interest is focusing on the fast-growing liquid crystal display (LCD) market. COCs are extremely well-suited for optical elements in LCDs.

“COC has tremendous potential, which is by no means exhausted yet,” emphasizes Gregor Bommel, head of the Topas COC Business Unit. “At K 2004, Topas attracted the most inquiries from customers and other interested visitors and was the hot topic of conversation. That makes us feel very confident and supports our conviction that many development departments are working on projects involving Topas COC.”

Ticona, the technical polymers business of Celanese Corporation, produces and markets a broad range of engineering polymers with production, compounding and research facilities in the USA, Germany and Brazil.

The Celanese Corporation, the global holding company for the Celanese businesses, is controlled by a group of investment funds, which are advised by The Blackstone Group, a leading global investment firm. Earlier this year, a subsidiary of BCP Crystal successfully completed a voluntary public tender offer for Celanese.

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