PolyOne restructures Elastomers & Performance Additives unit

SOLON, Ohio (March 26)—PolyOne Corp.'s Elastomers & Performance Additives group, hoping to improve service to a portion of its specialized customer base, has created a Specialty Products Division, which incorporates three of the group's business units. The new division, which accounts for about 5 percent of the group's annual sales of $365 million, comprises Performance Additives, Chase Elastomer Roll Compounds and the newly created High Performance Elastomers business unit. Consolidation of the three activities results in more streamlined, efficient processes and better customer service, PolyOne claims. The bulk of the group's elastomer compounding activities will continue to operate as before, a spokesman said. Steven Nieto, director of supply chain for the Elastomers & Performance Additives group, has been appointed director of the new division and is responsible for its financial and strategic direction. Nieto joined PolyOne in 2001 after 23 years with PPG Industries Inc. The Elastomers & Performance Additives group operates eight production plants in the U.S., Mexico and Europe.