● SK chemicals expands the supply of “transparent materials to control the spread of epidemics” in Central and South America

- Responding to increased demand for medical equipment and personal protective equipment due to COVID-19
- FDA-approved safety and highest level of chemical resistance, SKYGREEN is the ideal material to control the spread of epidemics


SK chemicals＇ supply of material to control the spread of epidemics is expanding to all regions of the Americas.

SK chemicals (CEO: Jeon Kwang-hyun) made an announcement on the 3rd that the company will expand the supply of SKYGREEN (substance: PETG) to the Central and South American regions that are experiencing supply shortages of personal protective equipment such as face shields and protection walls at medical facilities due to COVID-19. This time, the supply will expand to the countries of Mexico and Colombia.

Amid the recent surge in the spread of COVID-19 in these regions to the extent that the World Health Organization (WHO) considered Central and South America as the "new epicenter" of COVID-19, SK chemicals exports of SKYGREEN to these countries in April and May were five times more than last year’s total sales.

According to Worldometer (https://www.worldometers.info/), a global website for statistics, as of June 3, in Mexico the number of COVID-19 cases has surpassed 93,000, the cumulative death toll exceeded 10,000, and a steep spread is observed as more than 3,000 new patients are added per day. Colombia also has more than 31,000 confirmed cases and more than 1,000 cumulative deaths.

As the local governments are strengthening their response to COVID-19, the demand for medical and personal protective equipment has also increased. In particular, due to the increasing usage of face shields (a vital piece of personal protection equipment along with masks) and protection walls for controlling the spread of the epidemic, the demand for the transparent material that composes these pieces of equipment has also surged.

To respond to this situation, SK chemicals is expanding its supply of SKYGREEN, a transparent material for controlling the spread of the epidemic, to manufacturers of personal protective equipment in these countries that are struggling from a setback in local supply due to lack of materials in the fight against the epidemic.

When other general-purpose transparent materials with low chemical resistance are used in protection equipment, which requires frequent disinfection and cleaning, “cracking” of the equipment and “clouding phenomenon” may occur and disrupt normal epidemic control measures. SKYGREEN, which was successfully commercialized for the second time in the world in 2000 by SK chemicals, is regarded as the most suitable material for personal protective equipment such as face shields and protection walls because of its transparency and first-rate level of chemical resistance.

Safety is also very important due to the nature of personal protective equipment that comes into direct contact with the human body. SK chemicals SKYGREEN has been verified by the world＇s top 3 safety certification agencies U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and Japan Hygienic Olefin and Styrene Plastics Association (JHOSPA). Another advantage of the material is that there is no fear of Bisphenol-A (BPA) detection.

Because of its safety and chemical resistance, the world＇s top 10 cosmetic brands such as Johnson & Johnson, Estee Lauder, and L＇Oreal have already applied SK chemicals’ PETG to their luxury cosmetic containers.

“Mexico and Colombia are important countries that we are developing relationships with in Central and South America.” said Kim Eung-soo, the head of the copolyester business department at SK chemicals, and he added, “We will quickly supply SKYGREEN to assist the medical activities in these countries.”

Meanwhile, an appreciation letter from Mitchell P. Grindley, CEO of Plaskolite, a client company of SK chemicals from the US, has become a hot topic. "We are grateful to SK chemicals for helping us with the supply of materials in this national crisis caused by COVID-19,” said Grindley. He added, “We ask for the continued supply of materials and support by further strengthening our partnership.”

SK chemicals’ SKYGREEN exports to the U.S. have increased by about 200% compared to the same period of the previous year since April. With this export to Central and South America, continued growth is expected for the company＇s annual exports to the American continent.



* Facial Shield, made of SK chemicals SKYGREEN (PETG) material, is worn by a local personnel






※ Glossary

* PETG: Polyethylene terephthalate Glycol
* EFSA(European Food Safety Authority)
* Japan Hygienic Olefin and Styrene Plastics Association(JHOSPA)