Eastman celebrates Crystex insoluble sulphur 75th anniversary

This year Eastman Crystex celebrates its 75th year. The Crystex story began in 1944 when Stauffer Chemical Company filed a patent for its insoluble sulphur product. The name Crystex evolved from “No Crystals” and “Crystals-X” as a literal explanation of the product function and benefit to tyre makers. The brand grew, and high thermal stability grades were introduced. In a short time, Crystex became known for providing robust properties that tyremakers needed as they innovated and operated in more challenging production environments.

“Crystex’s history has been rooted in technological leadership. From its initial patent to our nomination for Innovation and Excellence in the Tire Technology of the Year category at Tire Tech 2019, the Crystex story is one of helping customers make tires more efficiently,” said Dr. Brock Thomas, technology director of Eastman Tire Additives.

Another Crystex milestone came at about the half-century mark with the introduction of improved dispersion grades, which provided processing benefits in rubber mixing operations without sacrificing critical properties. The market-leading brand became part of the Eastman portfolio with the acquisition of Solutia in 2012. Since then, Eastman has focused on advancing the Crystex technology to meet the growing needs of the tire and rubber industry.

“Eastman takes great pride in how we honor the legacy of the Crystex brand and what it stands for,” said Gunes Celik, vice president and general manager of Eastman Tire Additives. “New innovations that carry the name must meet extremely high standards and deliver the level of performance and quality the industry associates with Crystex.”

For decades, the Crystex brand has been considered the industry standard for insoluble sulphur. That legacy continues with the launch of Crystex Cure Pro – the newest innovation and latest addition to the Crystex product line. Crystex Cure Pro was developed at Eastman’s technology centre in Akron.
As tyre makers search to optimize their energy, labour and capital costs, increased productivity becomes an even more important consideration. Based on a legacy of proven innovation, Crystex Cure Pro gives tyre makers a unique advantage to gain efficiency in the production environment without sacrificing quality.

Eastman is a global specialty materials company. Eastman employs approximately 14,500 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2018 revenues of approximately $10 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA.