HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kraton Polymers LLC (Kraton), a leading global producer of engineered polymers, announces a general price increase in Asia Pacific of US Dollars 330 /MT, across all markets and end uses, for Kraton SBS, SEBS, OE SBS, and OE SEBS polymers and compounds. Subject to the terms of any applicable contracts, the price increase will take effect no later than August 1, 2009, and may occur earlier as business conditions dictate.

“Raw material and energy costs are rapidly increasing, and as a result, we are implementing responsible price increases to help us manage these difficult, volatile and global economic challenges,” commented David Bradley, Chief Operations Officer. “As a leading producer of SBC’s, we must maintain a profitability level that will enable us to continue serving our customers and reinvesting in the SBC industry. We remain committed to providing innovative solutions and value-added services to help our customers differentiate and succeed in their respective markets.”

For more information on Kraton Polymers, visit our website at www.kraton.com. In addition, customer questions and other direct inquiries may be addressed to info@kraton.com or the applicable Kraton representative.

About Kraton

Kraton is a leading global producer of engineered polymers and, we believe, the world’s largest producer of styrenic block copolymers (SBC’s), a family of products whose chemistry was pioneered by us over forty years ago. SBC’s are highly-engineered thermoplastic elastomers, which enhance the performance of numerous products by delivering a variety of attributes, including greater flexibility, resilience, strength, durability and processability. Kraton polymers are used in a wide range of applications, including adhesives, coatings, consumer and personal care products, sealants and lubricants, and medical, packaging, automotive, paving, roofing and footwear products. Kraton has the leading position in nearly all of its core markets and is the only producer of SBC’s with global manufacturing capability. Its production facilities are located in the United States, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Brazil and Japan.

Kraton, the Kraton logo and design, and the “Giving Innovators their Edge” tagline are trademarks of Kraton Polymers LLC.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes “forward-looking statements,” which are statements other than statements of historical fact and are often characterized by the use of words such as “believes,” “expects,” “estimates,” “projects,” “may,” “will,” “intends,” “plans” or “anticipates,” or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. All forward-looking statements in this press release are made based on management’s current expectations and estimates, which involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update such information.