Huntsman's Business Segments

We are a global manufacturer of differentiated organic chemical products and of inorganic chemical products. Our Company, a Delaware corporation, was formed in 2004 to hold the businesses of Huntsman Holdings, LLC, a company founded by Jon M. Huntsman. Mr. Huntsman founded the predecessor to our Company in 1970 as a small polystyrene plastics packaging company. Since then, we have grown through a series of significant acquisitions and now own a global portfolio of businesses.

We operate all of our businesses through Huntsman International, our 100% owned subsidiary. Huntsman International is a Delaware limited liability company and was formed in 1999.

Polyurethanes

We are a leading global manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of polyurethane chemicals, including MDI products, PO, polyols, PG and TPU (each discussed in more detail below under "—Products and Markets"). Polyurethane chemicals are used to produce rigid and flexible foams, as well as coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers. We focus on the higher-margin, higher-growth markets for specialty MDI and MDI-based polyurethane systems. Growth in our Polyurethanes segment has been driven primarily by the continued substitution of MDI-based products for other materials across a broad range of applications. We operate five primary polyurethane manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Europe and China. We also operate 19 strategically located downstream polyurethane formulation facilities, commonly referred to in the chemical industry as "systems houses," located in close proximity to our customers worldwide (see facilities listed in "—Item 2. Properties" below), which enables us to focus on customer support, technical service and a differentiated product offering. We also operate a specialty polyol manufacturing facility focused on the insulation market and three downstream TPU manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Europe and China.

Our customers produce polyurethane products through the combination of an isocyanate, such as MDI, with polyols, which are derived largely from PO and EO. We are able to produce over 2,000 distinct MDI-based polyurethane products by modifying the MDI molecule through varying the proportion and type of polyol used and by introducing other chemical additives to our MDI formulations. As a result, polyurethane products, especially those derived from MDI, are continuing to replace traditional products in a wide range of end-use markets, including insulation in construction and appliances, cushioning for automotive and furniture, coatings, adhesives, wood binders for construction and furniture, footwear and other specialized engineering applications.

Performance Products

Our Performance Products segment has leading global positions in the manufacture and sale of amines, surfactants and maleic anhydride and serves a wide variety of consumer and industrial end markets. Our Performance Products segment is organized by region and product family. Our product families are: Amines; Maleic Anhydride (including catalyst and licensing); Surfactants (including LAB); and Upstream Intermediates.

We produce a wide range of amines, many of which are sold into specialty markets such as epoxy curing agents, oil exploration and production, agrochemicals, and fuel and lubricant additives. We believe we are the largest global producer of polyetheramines, one of the largest producers of 2-(2-amino ethoxy) ethanol, sold under our DGA® brand, the second largest producer of ethyleneamines and morpholine and the second largest North American producer of ethanolamines. We are the only producer and largest supplier of propylene carbonate and ethylene carbonate in North America. Many of the markets for these products have growth rates in excess of global GDP.

We believe we are the largest global producer of maleic anhydride, a highly versatile chemical intermediate that is used to produce UPRs, which are mainly used in the production of fiberglass reinforced resins for marine, automotive and construction products. Maleic anhydride is also used in the production of lubricants, food additives and artificial sweeteners. We are also the leading licensor of maleic anhydride manufacturing technology and the largest supplier of butane fixed bed catalyst used in maleic anhydride manufacturing.

We consume internally produced and third-party-sourced base petrochemicals in the manufacture of our surfactants, LAB and ethanolamines products. We produce a broad range of surfactants, which are primarily used in detergency, personal care, agrochemical, oilfield and industrial applications. We manufacture LAB for use as an intermediate in laundry detergents and a higher molecular weight alkylate used as a lubricant additive.

We also use internally produced and third-party-sourced base petrochemicals to produce EG, which is primarily used in the production of polyester fibers, PET packaging and antifreeze.

Polyetheramines

Epoxy composites, polyurethane foams and insulation, construction and flooring, paints and coatings, lubricant and fuel additives, adhesives, agrochemicals, oilfield chemicals, printing inks, pigment dispersion
Ethyleneamines

Chemical building block used in lubricant and fuel additives, epoxy hardeners, wet strength resins, chelating agents, fungicides
Ethanolamines

Wood preservatives, herbicides, construction products, gas treatment, metalworking, personal care
Other specialty Amines, including DGA® Agent

Gas treating, ag chemicals, personal care, lubricant and fuel additives, polyurethane foams, fabric softeners, paints and coatings, refinery processing, water treating

Advanced Materials

 

Our Advanced Materials segment is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of technologically advanced epoxy, acrylic and polyurethane-based polymer products. We focus on formulations and systems that are used to address customer-specific needs in a wide variety of industrial and consumer applications. Our products are used either as replacements for traditional materials or in applications where traditional materials do not meet demanding engineering specifications. For example, structural adhesives are used to replace metal rivets and advanced composites are used to replace traditional aluminum panels and other steel materials to lighten structures in aerospace, automotive and other transportation. Our Advanced Materials segment is characterized by the breadth of our product offering, our expertise in complex chemistry, our long-standing relationships with our customers, our ability to develop and adapt our technology and our applications expertise for new markets and new applications.

We operate synthesis, formulating and production facilities in North America, Europe, Asia, and South America. We sell to more than 1,900 customers in the following end markets: aerospace, automotive, liquid natural gas transport, coatings and construction, printed circuit boards, consumer and industrial electronics, consumer and industrial appliances, wind power generation, consumer/do it yourself ("DIY"), electrical power transmission and distribution, recreational sports equipment, medical appliances and food and beverage packaging.

Textile Effects

Our Textile Effects segment is a major global solutions provider in the wet processing of textiles across pretreatment, coloration, printing and finishing and provides a diverse portfolio of textile chemicals, dyes and digital inks. Our textile solutions provide color and enhance the fashion, durability and performance of finished textiles, including functionality such as wrinkle resistance and water and stain repellence. Our Textile Effects segment is characterized by the breadth of our product offering and long-standing relationships with our customers and downstream brands and retailers and OEMs (e.g., the automotive sector).

We market products to customers in multiple end-markets, including consumer fashion apparel, sportswear, career and uniform apparel, military, automotive, home and institutional textiles and furnishings, carpet and other functional textiles. Competition within these markets is generally fragmented with few competitors who can offer complete solutions for each market. We develop and adapt our technology and our applications expertise for new markets and new applications to improve our competitive offering. Increased environmental regulations, particularly in China, and consumer awareness about the environmental impact of the apparel industry has resulted in increased demand for sustainably produced textiles. We are at the forefront of developing sustainable textiles with advanced technology such as non-fluorinated durable water repellence, waterless dyeing and eco-friendly digital printing. Our award-winning AVITERA® reactive dyeing technology meets global industry environmental standards and helps textile mills increase yield, improve productivity and reduce processing costs by significantly reducing water and energy consumption. We operate 13 synthesis and formulation production sites in Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Textile Chemicals. Our product offering in textile chemicals covers process and effect chemicals for the entire wet processing of textiles, such as pretreatment, optical brightener, dyeing and printing processes and finishing effects such as UV-protection, flame-retardancy, wrinkle resistance, water and oil repellency, moisture management and enhanced textile comfort.

We own a portfolio of textile chemical brands such as PHOBOTEX®, which is used in the sportswear sector and for outdoor textiles for products that provide non-fluorinated durable water repellency, UVITEX®, which is used for products that provide lasting white in the apparel sector to T-shirts and formal shirts as well as in in the home textile sector for towels and bed sheeting, and PYROVATEX®, which is used for products that provide non-halogenated flame-retardancy to functional textiles like protective workwear and textile insulation material used in the automotive sector.

Dyes. We provide dyes for all major fibers, including cotton, polyester, wool, nylon, silk and acrylic, each of which requires different dye chemistry for optimum results. We develop and offer processes for technological applications of dyes that enable our customers to improve their production yield and reduce their water and energy consumption. We focus on high-quality specialty dyes, which sets us apart from our Asian competitors who are primarily focused on commodity dyes. Because we provide dyes for all major fibers, we are able to differentiate ourselves from industry competitors by providing solutions for a broad range of fiber blended fabrics.

We own a portfolio of dye brands such as AVITERA®, for dyes used in T-shirts, formal shirts and towels for achieving sustainability, NOVACRON®, for dyes used widely across casual wear and home textiles, LANASOL®, for dyes used in wool formal suits, TERASIL®, for dyes used in sportswear, outerwear, home textiles and furnishings, ERIOFAST®, for dyes used in high-end intimate apparel and lingerie, TERATOP®, for dyes used across the automotive industry and NOVASOL®, for dyes used across military, protective wear and other technical textiles.

Digital Inks. We are at the forefront of the emerging trend in digital textile printing, including the time-to-market pressures of rapidly changing fashion trends and environmental concerns. Our range of digital inks solutions cover cotton, polyester, nylon, silk and other types of fiber blends, and are available for all mainstream digital printing technologies from plotters to industrial printers. Our innovative and sustainable digital inks technology is designed to help mills improve process efficiency, print reliability and improve overall environmental performance.

Pigments and Additives

Our Pigments and Additives segment manufactures titanium dioxide, functional additives, color pigments, timber treatment and water treatment products. Our broad product range, coupled with our ability to develop and supply specialized products into technically exacting end-use applications, has positioned us as a leader in the markets we serve. In 2014, we acquired the Performance Additives and Titanium Dioxide businesses ("Rockwood Acquisition") of Rockwood Holdings, Inc. ("Rockwood"), broadening our specialty titanium dioxide product offerings and adding significant scale and capacity to our titanium dioxide facilities. The Rockwood Acquisition positioned us as a leader in the specialty and differentiated titanium dioxide industry segments, which includes products that sell at a premium and have more stable margins. The Rockwood Acquisition also provided us with complementary functional additives, color pigments, timber treatment and water treatment businesses.

Timber Treatment and Water Treatment. We manufacture wood protection chemicals used primarily in residential and commercial applications to prolong the service life of wood through protection from decay and fungal or insect attack. Wood that has been treated with our products is sold to consumers through major branded retail outlets such as Lowes.

We manufacture our timber treatment chemicals in the U.S. and market our products primarily in North America through Viance, LLC ("Viance"), our 50%-owned joint venture with Dow Chemical formed in 2007. Our residential construction products such as ACQ, ECOLIFE® and Copper Azole are sold for use in decking, fencing and other residential outdoor wood structures. Our industrial construction products such as Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) are sold for use in telephone poles and salt water piers and pilings.