Eastman Boosts Fibres with INACSA Buy

US-based Eastman Chemical has agreed to buy Industrias del Acetato de Celulosa (INACSA), a Spanish producer of cellulosic fiber, for an undisclosed sum.

The Kingsport, Tennessee-headquartered company said it expects the INACSA business and assets, which include a plant in Batlloria, Spain, to support continued growth of its Naia cellulosic yarn for the apparel market. INACSA will become part of Eastman’s global Fibers segment.

“With the acquisition of INACSA, Eastman gains a well-respected yarn producer and a European site that will enhance our ability to support the global textiles supply chain,” said Brad Lich, Eastman’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer.

The transaction is expected to complete in the third quarter of 2019, subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

In separate news, Eastman announced that debottlenecking of its diethylhydroxylamine (DEHA) plant in St. Gabriel, Louisiana, has been completed. The project lifted output by 15-20%; the company did not disclose actual capacity figures.

“With growth in demand for DEHA, our lead times had increased significantly. This capacity increase will help us meet the growing needs of our customers,” commented Kyle Irion, US product manager for Eastman’s Care Chemicals business unit, part of the Additives & Functional Products operating segment.

Eastman said it ias the only producer of DEHA in the western hemisphere. DEHA is used primarily as an oxygen scavenger in water treatment and in the production of styrene-butadiene rubber and electronic and photographic chemicals. It is also used in polymer processing.