Eastman Chemical Company (Kingsport, Tennessee 37662, USA) and its Spanish affiliate, Eastman Chemical Espana SA, announced San Roque, Spain, as the location for a 60,000 t/y PET plant. Harry H. Hollir~an, vice president and general manager of Eastman's Container Plastics Business Organization, said construction is expected to begin during the second quarter of 1995. "Once on-line in late 1996, the plant at San Roque will serve growing PET markets in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean region," Holliman said. "Our new plant will complement Eastman PET capacity in the United Kingdom which is already serving the European market," he added. Holliman indicated the PET plant to be built in Spain is designed to be easily expanded to 120,000 t/y at minimal additional investment. Eastman, the world's leading manufacturer of PET for packaging, has a current capacity of more than 725,000 t/y of PET.

Eastman will build the PET plant in cooperation with Intercontinental Quimica SA (INTERQUISA), a European leader in the production of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and wholly-owned subsidiary of Compania Espanola De Petroleos SA (CEPSA). Eastman's PET plant will be located adjacent to INTERQUISA's facility. The company will supply Eastman's PTA requirements and the growing demand of its other customers by expanding production capacity with the construction of a new 150,000 t/y unit, easily expandable to 200,000 t/y.