Celanese Showcasing Products at Chinaplas 2014 - Analyst Blog

Chemical company Celanese Corporation CE is showcasing its high performance halogen-free polymer, Fortron polyphenylene sulfide PPS CES50, for consumer electronics device housings at the Chinaplas 2014 in the Chemicals & Raw Materials Zone of the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.  

Celanese' Fortron PPS polymers, which hold mechanical properties superior to traditional polymer solutions, will help consumer electronics manufacturers to produce thin-wall designed cell phone frames, tablet covers and radio jack connectors without material warpage.

Fortron PPS polymers, developed using Celanese patent pending technology, meets the latest market demand for lighter, thinner and environmentally responsible consumer electronics applications.

The uniqueness of this Fortron PPS CES50 lies in its high tensile modulus which reaches more than 13900 megapascals (MPa) for improved thin-wall design processing, superior dimensional stability that meets high-precision design and assembly requirements, its halogen free nature, the flame retardant property of its UL 94 V-0 listed at 0.2 millimeters and low moisture absorption capacity. It can also be molded in a cold-mold wall temperature range between 70 degrees Celsius to 90 degrees Celsius.

Fortron CES50 low chlorine PPS grade is in line with the International Electrotechnical Commission standards for “halogen-free” materials and keeps up with all necessary properties of the standard PPS.

On Apr 17, Celanese announced that it is also highlighting its Zenite and Vectra family of halogen-free liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) for compact camera modules to be used in smartphones and tablets at the same time.

These polymers are designed to help CCM manufacturers improve their products and manufacturing processes so they can meet the growing demand for portable devices with high-end camera modules.

The Zenite LCPs which offers electrostatic discharge properties also deliver excellent dimensional stability and less particle generation for improved productivity and high yield of assembled CCM parts.

Vectra FIT LCPs, which are developed with reduced melt viscosity without losing mechanical properties, also provide high flow and improved flatness and are designed to meet specific customer requirements. To be specific, the high flow, high performance Vectra FIT70 is used for compact camera modules and Vectra FIT72 is used for thin-wall connectors. Both introduced in 2012, are used in CCM products for mobile handset cameras.

Celanese, which carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), will release its first-quarter 2014 results after the close today.

Other companies in the chemical industry worth considering include Methanex Corp. MEOH, Olin Corp. OLN and Huntsman Corp. HUN, all carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).