April 2009 - Braskem and Cromex announced the first partnership for developing special products that will be used with the green polyethylene - a Braskem innovation made from sugarcane ethanol. This joint action by the two companies enabled Cromex to develop a series of colors and additives that will add characteristics to the green polyethylene like an anti-blocking barrier for UV rays, antistatic and anti-fog features, respecting the products fundamental sustainability properties.

Braskem s green polyethylene is the first one made from globally certified sugarcane ethanol. The company is investing R$ 500 million in a new factory in the Triunfo Complex, in Rio Grande do Sul, for the annual production of 200 thousand tons of product. We are investing selectively in a high return project, and confirming Braskem’s commitment with innovation and sustainable development, says Luiz de Mendonça, vice-president responsible for Braskem’s Polymers Unit.

With this partnership, Cromex will develop a range of colors, from opaque and transparent to more elaborate ones, with special effects, such as pearled and metalized. Besides the colors, Cromex will provide special additives to optimize resin processing and final product performance. The objective is to serve the main markets that demand green plastic, like the auto, toy, cosmetic and personal hygiene industries, as well as packaging and others.

For Cromex, this is a partnership with great strategic value in terms of innovation and sustainability for the plastic chain. According to Sergio Wajsbrot, the company’s president, Cromex wants to expand operations and be present in segments with higher added value. The demand for green polyethylene has already been identified as a great business opportunity and we are accompanying this evolution, concluded the executive.

The partnership between Braskem and Cromex once again positions Braskem prominently in terms of pioneerism, innovation and sustainability. Braskem s green plastic is globally recognized as an important innovation for society. The project won the Bioplastics Awards 2007 in Cologne, Germany, the sector’s most important award in bioplastic innovation. The interest demonstrated by large national and international companies in developing partnerships involving this project is evidence of the strong demand for sustainable products, adds Luiz de Mendonça. Cromex, which already exports its additives and colors to more than 40 countries, sees an opportunity in this partnership to further leverage its business in the global market.