DuPont Preparing for Growth of Sorona Polymer

Loudon, TN, May 13, 2010--DuPont is executing a rapid commercialization strategy in its Applied BioSciences business for renewable products, including Sorona polymer, that address the needs of large markets, DuPont told security analysts and investors.

The company said the unit sees sales of $200 million this year and $1 billion by 2015. The company had said in 2007 that it expected revenue from that unit to hit $800 million in 2010 and $2.3 billion in 2012.

The unit, which makes Sorona polymers for carpets and clothing, as well as biofuels and Omega-3 nutritional substitutes, was first formed in 2005.

“The Applied BioSciences portfolio is developing solutions to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and continues to be one of the most significant growth opportunities in the company’s history,” said Thomas M. Connelly, DuPont executive vice president and chief innovation officer.
 
DuPont said its Tate & Lyle Bio Products facility in Loudon produces 100 million pounds annually of Bio-PDO.

The company said that customer demand and adoption rates are growing rapidly for Bio-PDO and its Sorona polymer products across a wide range of markets.  To meet this demand, DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products LLC announced last week a 35% capacity expansion for its Bio-PDO product.

In addition, its Sorona polymer operations have doubled since the last investors update in 2007 and now include four polymer facilities: two in North Carolina and two in China to supply the rapid growth momentum of the market, the company said.