Celanese

Celanese (NYSE|CE) is a large American chemical company based in Dallas, Texas. The company produces chemicals, fibers, pharmaceuticals and plastics, such as the thermoplastic cellulose acetate used to produce cigarette filters. [ [http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/12/hoechst.htm Hoechst AG and Rhone-Poulenc S.A ] ]

Celanese is the world's largest producer of acetyl products, including acetic acid, vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) and polyacetals (POM). Their largest plant in Pasadena, Texas is home to the world's largest acid production unit.

History

In 1918, the American Cellulose & Chemical Manufacturing Company is founded in New York by Camille Dreyfus.

A Celanese Plant was located at Amcelle, between Cumberland and Cresaptown, Maryland. The plant was served by the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) rail line, and was a major consumer of coal. It received bulk shipments of industrial chemicals and raw cotton fiber, and shipped out its fabric products in quantity. The B&O also provided passenger service to the plant, for Celanese workers. The plant had its own extensive networks of rail lines on the property. It became a major employer in Allegany County, and most families in the area have one or more relatives that worked for the plant at its peak. At one time, 13,000 employees worked there.

The American Cellulose and Chemical Manufacturing Co. Ltd plant was set up during World War I to produce cheaper fabric for airplane manufacturing. The plant location was chosen inland to protect against Zeppelin attacks. It was also sighted in proximity to a ready source of water at the Potomac River, and easy access to coal supplies and railroad lines. After a series of delays, actual production began in 1924 with a series of commercial fabrics and yarns intended as alternatives to silk. The plant was closed in the 1960's, and was torn down to provide a space for a new Federal Prison.

In 1927, the American Cellulose & Chemical Manufacturing Company changes its name to "Celanese Corporation of America."

In 1986, its pharmaceutical business was spun off as Celgene.

In 1987, Celanese Corporation is acquired by Hoechst and merged with its American subsidiary, American Hoechst, to form Hoechst Celanese Corporation.

In 1998, Hoechst combines most of its industrial chemical operations in a new company, which it calls Celanese AG.

In 1999 Hoechst spins off Celanese AG as a publicly-traded, German corporation, traded on both the Frankfurt and New York stock exchanges.

In 2004, Blackstone Capital Partners acquires the stock of Celanese AG. Celanese is delisted from the New York Stock Exchange. Blackstone changes its name to Celanese Corporation.

In 2005 Celanese Corporation becomes a publicly-traded corporation. Its symbol on the New York Stock Exchange is "CE." [ [http://www.celanese.com/index/about_index/company-profile/company-profile-history.htm Celanese - History ] ]

In 2004, Celanese generated sales of around US$ 5.07 billion and had about 9,000 employees.

In 2005, Celanese generated net sales of around US$ 6.1 billion and had about 9,300 employees.

Celanese Canada Closure

In 2004, Celanese AG announced the cutting of over 1000 jobs worldwide, over 300 of those from the Celanese Canada plant site in Edmonton, Alberta.

July 5, 2006, EPCOR, an energy company that owns a power plant next to the Edmonton Celanese Canada plant filed a $20M suit against Celanese due to alleged subsurface leaking of chemicals into EPCOR property.

November,2007. The Celanese plant located in Edmonton Alberta, Canada is closed and the plantsite is advertised for sale. The plant was closed in stages, the last operating unit was Methanol production and the power plant.

January 10, 2008. The Edmonton Journal reports that the Celanese Canada plantsite in Edmonton has been sold to Worthington Properties Edmonton. The Methanol production unit has been sold to Chinese interests and will be dismantled.

Celanese Litz Wire Insulation

Celanese was the first synthetic yarn used for insulation of wire. Celanese was immediately accepted in electronic coil operations due to its excellent radio frequency characteristics. Celanese is an acetate. Chemically it is an acetic acid ester of cellulose, which differs in physical, chemical and electrical properties from regenerated cellulose and cotton.

The operating temperature rating is 105°C. As with other ether thermoplastic yarns, celanese will stick, soften, and melt at elevated temperatures. Softening and sticking occur at 190-205°C, and melting occurs at about 260°C, well below the soldering temperature of polyurethane film insulated wire.

Celanese is soluble in acetone. Since celanese yarn dissolves and fuses when wet with acetone, this property may be used to fabricate the coil and to facilitate winding operations. A controlled amount of acetone can be applied to the wire as it is being wound, and, when the coil is completed, the acetone can be evaporated with a blast of hot air, leaving the winding firmly cemented.

The layer-to-layer dielectric strength of celanese insulation is 100 volts per mil minimum. Tests performed on celanese insulated wire wound coils at radio frequencies show them to have excellent Q values.

Most textile fibers absorb moisture from the surrounding atmosphere. The amount present is referred to as moisture regain, and is expressed as a percentage of the oven-dry weight. The standard regain of celanese at 70°F and 65% RH is generally accepted as 5.5%.

Celanese insulated wire normally comes in the natural color (white). Other colors can be supplied for coil or lead identification purposes, these would include green, red and blue.

References

* Peter John Turnbull Morris, "The American Synthetic Rubber Research Program", Pennsylvania Press, ISBN 0-8122-8207-8, [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0812282051 Full Text Online] , page 258

External links

* [http://www.celanese.com/ Official site]
* [http://www.celanese.com/demerger_report.pdf Celanese - demerger report]
* [http://www.ftc.gov/os/1999/12/hoechstrana.htm "Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to Aid Public Comment." Federal Trade Commission.]
* [http://www.litz-wire.com/celanese.html Celanese Insulation for Litz wire]