EASTMAN CHEMICAL CO

In the Fibers segment, Eastman manufactures and sells acetate tow and triacetin plasticizers for use in filtration media, primarily cigarette filters; cellulosic filament yarn and staple fibers for use in apparel, home furnishings, and industrial fabrics; nonwoven media for use in filtration and friction applications, used primarily in transportation, industrial, and agricultural end-markets; and cellulose acetate flake and acetyl raw materials for other acetate fiber producers. The Company is the world's largest producer of acetate yarn and has been in this business for over 85 years.

The Fibers segment's competitive strengths include a reputation for high-quality products, technical expertise, large scale vertically-integrated processes, reliability of supply, internally produced acetate flake supply for Fibers segment's products, a reputation for customer service excellence, and a customer base characterized by strategic long-term customers and end-user relationships. The Company continues to capitalize and build on these strengths to further improve the strategic position of its Fibers segment. To strengthen and stabilize segment earnings, the Company has taken actions such as the establishment of long-term variable pricing in acetate tow customer arrangements and agreements, development of innovative textile and nonwoven applications, and repurposing manufacturing capacity from acetate tow to new products.

The 10 largest Fibers segment customers accounted for approximately 60 percent of the segment's 2023 sales revenue, and include multinational as well as regional cigarette producers, fabric manufacturers, and other acetate fiber producers.

The Company's long history and experience in fibers markets are reflected in the Fibers segment's operating expertise, both within the Company and in support of its customers' processes. The Fibers segment's knowledge of the industry and of customers' processes allows it to assist its customers in maximizing their processing efficiencies, promoting repeat sales, and developing mutually beneficial, long-term customer relationships.

The Company's fully integrated fibers manufacturing process employs unique technology that allows it to use a broad range of high-purity wood pulps for which the Company has dependable sources of supply.

Management applies the innovation-driven growth model to the Fibers segment by leveraging its strong customer relationships and industry knowledge to maintain a leading industry position in the global market. The segment benefits from a state-of-the-art, world class, acetate flake production facility at the Kingsport, Tennessee site, which is supplied from Eastman's vertically integrated coal gasification facility and is the largest and most integrated acetate tow site in the world. The Fibers segment also expects to benefit from Eastman's recently developed carbon renewal technology, which enables the substitution of fossil fuel feedstock with recycled waste content. Products using this technology are marketed and sold under the "Renew" product designation. See "Corporate Overview - Business Strategy -Sustainability and Circular Economy". The Company contractually supplies acetate flake raw material to the manufacturing facility of its acetate tow joint venture in China from the Company's manufacturing facility in Kingsport, Tennessee, which the Company recognizes in sales revenue. The Company recognizes earnings in the joint venture through its equity investment, reported in "Other (income) charges, net" in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings, Comprehensive Income and Retained Earnings in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report. The Company's focus on innovation has resulted in repurposing some of its acetate tow manufacturing capacity to fibers products for textiles, resulting in increased capacity utilization and lower acetate tow costs.

To meet customers' evolving needs and further improve the Fibers segment's manufacturing process efficiencies, the Company makes use of its capabilities in fibers technology to maintain a strong focus on incremental product and process improvements.

In 2023, the Fibers segment:

•implemented contract price increases across the acetate tow customer base, driving growth and returning adjusted EBIT margins and cash flow generation to acceptable performance levels;

•commercialized Naia™ Renew Enhanced Sustainability, an offering sourced from 60 percent recycled content with a global fashion brand known for its sustainability focus; and

•reached over 70 signed trademark licensing agreements with high profile brands from major multinational fashion brands to sustainable champions in outdoor clothing.

The Fibers segment R&D efforts focus on serving new and existing customers, leveraging proprietary cellulosic biopolymers and spinning technology, optimizing asset productivity through process improvement, selective product innovation in response to acetate tow customer needs, and working with suppliers to reduce costs. For textiles, the Fibers segment is offsetting declines in acetate tow through investments in differentiated application development capabilities and new product innovations, including circular solutions, to drive growth in textiles and apparel of Naia™ yarns and fibers.