Eastman welcomes President of Normandy to Kingsport headquarters

KINGSPORT, Tenn.

Eastman today welcomed Normandy President Herve Morin, who made the company’s corporate headquarters and Tennessee manufacturing site part of his U.S. visit. Morin also saw Eastman’s first methanolysis facility being constructed at the site and discussed plans for the previously announced methanolysis facility to be constructed in Normandy, France, which is expected to be operational in 2026.

President Morin and Eastman’s Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Brad Lich made remarks to members of Eastman’s circular economy teams, French journalists and local media about the importance of these investments in the circular economy, and the impact these actions will have on the global plastic waste crisis.

“We are excited to welcome President Morin to our Kingsport site and this wonderful community we’ve called home for over 100 years,” said Lich. “The investments we’re making in Kingsport and Normandy will help drive a more circular economy where plastic waste can be infinitely recycled and used again and again to produce specialty materials. Solving great challenges requires collaboration, and I would like to thank President Morin for his continued support to enable this innovation in France with our second methanolysis facility which is expected to be complete in 2026.”

Eastman is focused on showing the world it can move away from a linear economy where waste plastics end up in the landfill, the incinerator, or the environment, to a truly circular economy where this waste can be infinitely recycled and used again and again. Today, over 260 million metric tons of plastic are being thrown away and only 12 percent of that waste is currently being recycled. At this first new facility in Kingsport, Eastman will be able to accept plastic waste that today often ends up in the environment and will convert this waste into brand new materials with recycled content. The facility in Kingsport will use more than 100,000 metric tons of plastic waste every year that can’t be recycled by traditional methods. The facility is expected to be completed later this year.

“I am very pleased to have the privilege of visiting Eastman’s site in Kingsport,” said President Morin. “Eastman's decision to locate the world's largest plastics recycling plant in our region shows that Normandy is now positioned on the world map as a region where business is developing in an ecosystem that is favorable to low-carbon and innovative industries. This project is one of the largest foreign investments in France in the last 30 years, and we are delighted to welcome Eastman to Normandy.”

Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end-markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive and diverse company, Eastman employs approximately 14,500 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2022 revenues of approximately $10.6 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA.

For more information about Eastman’s methanolysis process and the investments it is making in the circular economy, please visit www.eastman.eco.

Normandy Visit to Kingsport - Media Kit