DuPont reorganizing, may sell or spin off textiles

WILMINGTON, Del. (Feb. 12)—DuPont is reorganizing its primary businesses into five segments and plans to sell or spin off its textiles businesses by the end of 2003, the company said. DuPont will operate its core activities within five new business groupings: DuPont Electronic & Communication Technologies; DuPont Performance Materials; DuPont Coatings & Color Technologies; DuPont Safety & Protection; and DuPont Agriculture & Nutrition. DuPont Dow Elastomers L.L.C.—DuPont's elastomer joint venture with Dow Chemical Co.—will be part of DuPont Performance Materials, though the operations of DuPont Dow Elastomers are not impacted by the changes. The company said the new "growth platforms" will be more tightly focused on markets and technologies.