Eastman chemical specialists available Mon–Fri 8am–6pm EST. Request Technical Data Sheet →

About Eastman Chemical: A Century of Materials Innovation

From a single acetate facility in Kingsport, Tennessee to a $9B+ global specialty chemical company with 46 manufacturing sites — our story is the story of applied chemistry transforming the built world.

Our Mission: Chemistry for Human Progress

Eastman Chemical Company was founded in 1920 by George Eastman as a supplier of chemicals to Kodak's photographic operations. Over the next century, we evolved from a captive chemical supplier into one of the world's premier specialty chemical companies — publicly listed on the NYSE since 1994, with revenues exceeding $9 billion and operations across 6 continents.

Our building and construction segment engineers the molecular foundations that make modern architecture possible: interlayers that hold shattered glass together, films that block solar heat without blocking daylight, and polymers that replace traditional materials with safer, longer-lasting alternatives.

We operate 14,000 employees across 46 manufacturing and R&D facilities, holding over 2,400 active patents. Our scientists publish in peer-reviewed journals, present at international building technology conferences, and serve on ASTM, ISO, and EN standards committees — because we believe the entire industry benefits when the science is openly understood.

Request a Technical Consultation
Eastman Chemical manufacturing research facility
Our History

Milestones in a Century of Innovation

1920

Founded in Kingsport, Tennessee

Eastman Chemical established as a supplier of acetic acid and acetaldehyde to support photographic operations, with 350 employees at a single site.

1968

Launch of PVB Interlayer Technology

Eastman introduces its first commercial polyvinyl butyral (PVB) formulations for laminated safety glass, beginning a decades-long leadership in architectural glazing chemistry.

1994

NYSE Listing as Independent Public Company

Eastman Chemical spun off as an independent entity, listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker: EMN), with revenues of $5.3B and operations across 15 countries.

2008

Tritan™ Copolyester Commercialized

The proprietary BPA-free Tritan™ copolyester platform launched, subsequently adopted by 250+ consumer products companies and expanding into architectural applications including transparent partitions and plumbing hardware.

2016

Saflex® Acoustic PVB Performance Milestone

Saflex® RB series achieves laboratory-validated Rw 52 dB in triple-laminate configuration — the highest acoustic rating achieved by a commercial PVB interlayer to that date, documented by Fraunhofer IBP under EN ISO 10140.

2022

Carbon Circular Economy Commitment

Eastman announces the world's largest molecular recycling facility in Longview, Texas — capable of processing 110,000 metric tons per year of hard-to-recycle plastic waste into certified recycled chemical feedstocks for specialty polymer production.

2024

$9B+ Revenue & 2,400+ Patents

Eastman Chemical reports record specialty segment performance, with the Additives & Functional Products division (which includes architectural interlayers and performance films) delivering 18% EBITDA margins on $2.8B in revenues.

Our Values

The Principles That Drive Our Science

Scientific Rigor

Every performance claim is backed by published test data, third-party laboratory validation, and traceable certification documentation. We do not make claims we cannot prove.

Long-Term Partnership

We embed application engineers within our customers' technical teams on major projects — because our chemistry only delivers value when it is correctly specified, processed, and integrated.

Environmental Responsibility

Published EPDs for all major product lines, ISO 14001 certified facilities, and a publicly reported roadmap to 50% Scope 1 & 2 emissions reduction by 2030 — with quarterly progress tracking.