AKRON, Ohio, April 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- A. Schulman, Inc. (Nasdaq: SHLM), a leading international supplier of high-performance plastic compounds, powders and resins, today announced that it has expanded its existing polyethylene terephthalate ("PET") compounding capacity by adding a new production line at the Bornem masterbatch plant in Belgium.

"The additional PET capacity will reinforce our leading market position as a masterbatch provider for the European food packaging and BoPET film markets," said Heinrich Lingnau, Vice-President and General Manager Europe, Middle East and Africa ("EMEA"), A. Schulman. "This investment is indeed aligned with current megatrends and addresses the needs of the packaging market."

"Coupled with our extensive technical and market knowledge as well as the existing polystyrene and polyolefin offering, this investment will enable us to meet our customers' growing demand for customized food packaging solutions," added Frank Roederer, Business Unit Director Masterbatch, EMEA.

The added PET product, which is commercialized under the name of PolyPet(TM), will significantly increase the Company's PET yearly production capacity. In the first phase, the new line will be dedicated primarily to the production of additive concentrates and white PET masterbatch.

About A. Schulman, Inc.

A. Schulman, Inc. is a leading international supplier of high-performance plastic compounds and resins headquartered in Akron, Ohio. Since 1928, the Company has been providing innovative solutions to meet its customers' demanding requirements. The Company's customers span a wide range of markets such as packaging, mobility, building & construction, electronics & electrical, agriculture, personal care & hygiene, sports, leisure & home, custom services and others. The Company employs approximately 3,900 people and has 42 manufacturing facilities globally. A. Schulman reported net sales of approximately $2.5 billion for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014. Additional information about A. Schulman can be found at www.aschulman.com.

Cautionary Statements

A number of the matters discussed in this document that are not historical or current facts deal with potential future circumstances and developments and may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historic or current facts and relate to future events and expectations. Forward-looking statements contain such words as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and include known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which management is unable to predict or control, that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by these forward-looking statements, and that could adversely affect the Company's future financial performance, include, but are not limited to, the following:


    --  worldwide and regional economic, business and political conditions,
        including continuing economic uncertainties in some or all of the
        Company's major product markets or countries where the Company has
        operations;
    --  the effectiveness of the Company's efforts to improve operating margins
        through sales growth, price increases, productivity gains, and improved
        purchasing techniques;
    --  competitive factors, including intense price competition;
    --  fluctuations in the value of currencies in areas where the Company
        operates;
    --  volatility of prices and availability of the supply of energy and raw
        materials that are critical to the manufacture of the Company's
        products, particularly plastic resins derived from oil and natural gas;
    --  changes in customer demand and requirements;
    --  effectiveness of the Company to achieve the level of cost savings,
        productivity improvements, growth and other benefits anticipated from
        acquisitions and the integration thereof, joint ventures and
        restructuring initiatives;
    --  escalation in the cost of providing employee health care;
    --  uncertainties regarding the resolution of pending and future litigation
        and other claims;
    --  the performance of the global automotive market as well as other markets
        served;
    --  further adverse changes in economic or industry conditions, including
        global supply and demand conditions and prices for products;
    --  operating problems with our information systems as a result of system
        security failures such as viruses, cyber-attacks or other causes;
    --  our ability to consummate the Citadel acquisition and the timing of the
        closing thereof for any reason, whether or not the fault of the Company;
    --  the failure to obtain the necessary financing in connection with the
        Citadel acquisition for any reason, whether or not the fault of the
        Company;
    --  the impact of the indebtedness incurred to finance the Citadel
        acquisition;
    --  integration of the business of Citadel with our existing business,
        including the risk that the integration will be more costly or more time
        consuming and complex or simply less effective than anticipated;
    --  our ability to achieve the anticipated synergies, cost savings and other
        benefits from the Citadel acquisition;
    --  transaction and acquisition-related costs incurred in connection with
        the Citadel acquisition and related transactions; and
    --  substantial time devoted by management to the integration after the
        closing of the Citadel acquisition.

The risks and uncertainties identified above are not the only risks the Company faces. Additional risk factors that could affect the Company's performance are set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014. In addition, risks and uncertainties not presently known to the Company or that it believes to be immaterial also may adversely affect the Company. Should any known or unknown risks or uncertainties develop into actual events, or underlying assumptions prove inaccurate, these developments could have material adverse effects on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.

SHLM_All

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/a-schulman-to-expand-its-existing-pet-masterbatch-compounding-capacity-in-europe-300071409.html

SOURCE A. Schulman, Inc.