Kureha PGA LLC, Charleston, WV, has announced the groundbreaking for its new Polyglycolic Acid (PGA) plant. This new polymer will be sold and distributed under the KureduxTMtrade name. The facility, located in Belle, WV, is expected to begin polymer production in early 2010. The first phase of construction will create approximately 50 new jobs and generate more than $100 million in economic impact. Kureha PGA LLC is the 20th Japanese company to invest in West Virginia.

“We spent a considerable amount of time researching various sites around the U.S. to find the perfect location for our new business,” said Dr. Takao Iwasaki, president and CEO of Kureha Corp., “and with the tremendous support of Senator Rockefeller, Governor Manchin, Congresswoman Capito, the Discover the Real West Virginia Foundation, the West Virginia Development Office, and, of course, our business friends at DuPont, we have decided that West Virginia will be the home of our breakthrough new polymer, Polyglycolic Acid.”

Kureha Corp. is a leading global supplier of specialty chemicals and plastics used in consumer packaging, household products, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and other industrial applications. KureduxTMPGA is a high-strength polyester resin that offers an excellent gas barrier to carbon dioxide and oxygen with controllable hydrolysis. This combination of properties makes Kuredux PGA ideal for high-performance packaging and industrial applications.

For more information, visitwww.kureha.com.