Vita-Mix Enhances Blender Container Performance
With New Eastman Tritan™ Copolyester

New Generation Polymer Provides More Benefits in a Non-Polycarbonate Product.

Kingsport, Tenn., (October 24, 2007) – Vita-Mix Corporation, a top producer of high-end kitchenware blending equipment for household and commercial use, has partnered with Eastman Chemical Company to manufacture blender containers for the newly developed Vita-Mix 5200 using Eastman Tritan™ copolyester. The new generation copolyester delivers excellent toughness to stand up to the rigors of frequent consumer handling. The latest in the company’s line of state-of-the-art household blenders, the Vita-Mix 5200 is scheduled to launch in late 2007.

Beyond the Norm

An 85-year-old company, Vita-Mix Corporation has delivered "healthy eating, healthy living" solutions to individuals and companies around the world for many years.  Committed to addressing consumer needs through ground-breaking products, the family-owned company introduced the Vita-Mix Machine in 1937, making the modern-day blender a common kitchen item.

Since its inception, the Vita-Mix Machine has gone through several enhancements. These improvements culminated in the 1992 introduction of the Vita-Mix Super 5000 Total Nutrition Center, an ultra-premium product capable of performing the work of 10 different kitchenware appliances.

Consistently striving to enhance the quality of its high-end products, Vita-Mix recently set out to create a new flagship product, the Vita-Mix 5200.  The new Vita-Mix 5200 features a new and more efficient motor as well as a redesigned container. 

“The Vita-Mix Super 5200 adheres to our founder’s vision of producing an appliance that goes beyond the design of a normal blender. Able to perform a total of 40 different food processes, including four that no other single appliance is capable of handling, this versatile machine brings the consumer blending experience to an entirely higher level,” explains John Barnard, CEO of Vita-Mix Corporation.

Recipe for Success

After testing a number of alternative materials for the container, Vita-Mix turned to Eastman for its new Tritan™ copolyester. Delivering exceptional toughness, this new polymer does not have the characteristics inherent in polycarbonate. The result of proprietary chemistry, the new generation copolyester allows Vita-Mix to offer consumers a product that also delivers the long-lasting performance for which the company is known.

“We place an emphasis on using the highest quality materials and components for our Vita-Mix products, and we had been looking for a viable solution for a number of years. Tritan™ copolyester is the only material able to deliver this advantage while maintaining the levels of impact resistance the containers must have for the wide variety of processes that the new Vita-Mix 5200 can perform on a daily basis,” says Barnard.

Tritan™ combines the clarity, toughness, and chemical resistance of traditional copolyesters with higher heat resistance and ease of processing. This unique balance of properties allows the blender containers to better withstand frequent consumer handling and cleanings with considerably reduced risk of crazing, cracking or hazing.  

The new generation copolyester is also easy to process and can be used in molds designed for polycarbonate. These attributes allowed Laszeray Technology, Inc. of North Royalton, Ohio, one of Vita-Mix's molded-parts suppliers, to produce the containers without complicated changes to its molding process.  "Having a new polymer in the marketplace is very exciting, and to have one that works with minor tooling changes is a real plus," says Ray Seuffert, President of Laszeray Technology, Inc.

“Manufacturing the Vita-Mix 5200 containers with Tritan™ has exceeded our expectations for BPA-free performance, durability and efficiency. This unique material will help us continue to meet evolving consumer demands and produce the best blending appliances on the market,” comments Barnard.

“We are happy to work with Vita-Mix to deliver an innovative material that can make a difference in the company’s business,” adds Dr. Dante Rutstrom, vice president & general manager, Specialty Plastics Business Organization, Eastman Chemical Company. “Tritan™ will contribute to the differentiated performance of the Vita-Mix 5200 product, reinforcing the company’s position as a true industry pioneer.”

The Vita-Mix 5200 is scheduled to launch in late 2007. Customers can order the new model blender by calling (800) 848-2649 or visiting www.vitamix.com.

About Vita-Mix Corporation

Based in Olmsted Falls, Ohio, family-owned and operated Vita-Mix Corporation was founded in 1921 by William G. “Papa” Barnard, an early promoter of the whole foods lifestyle and a direct marketing pioneer. Since introducing the first Vita-Mix blender in 1937, Vita-Mix has set the standard for high performance blenders. Vita-Mix blending equipment is used in leading smoothie bars, coffee houses and restaurants, and is universally praised by professional chefs and consumers alike for both durability and performance. Vita-Mix manufacturing operations are located at the corporate headquarters in Ohio; the company’s products are sold in over 75 countries. For more information, please visit www.vitamix.com or call (800) 848-2649.

About Laszeray Technology, Inc.
Laszeray Technology, Inc. of North Royalton, Ohio is a full service product design and manufacturing firm specializing in rapid prototyping, engineering and product development. It produces an array of custom-engineered components from a variety of materials utilizing state-of-the-art automated plastic molding work cells and CNC machining. Supporting the defense, consumer, commercial, aerospace, automotive, and recreation industries, Laszeray's knowledgeable and experienced staff can take a component or product from its initial concept to fabrication. For more information visit www.laszeray.com or call 440-582-8430.

About Eastman Chemical Company
Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE:EMN) manufactures and markets chemicals, fibers and plastics worldwide. It provides key differentiated coatings, adhesives and specialty plastics products; is one of the world’s largest producers of PET polymers for packaging; and is a major supplier of cellulose acetate fibers. As a Responsible Care® company, Eastman is committed to achieving the highest standards of health, safety, environmental and security performance. Founded in 1920 and headquartered in Kingsport, Tenn., Eastman is a FORTUNE 500 company with 2006 sales of $7.5 billion and approximately 11,000 employees. For more information about Eastman and its products, visit www.eastman.com or contact Garrett Wilburn, global trade media relations, at
+1-423-229-2353 or globalmediarelations@eastman.com.

           
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Editorial Contact:
Jazmine Leo