an 11% increase over the prior year in the prior year first quarter 86 in the prior year quarter. 

PRNewswire/ -- In anticipation of closing the acquisition of Clariant Masterbatch later this year, With 30 years of experience in the specialty polymer sector, for four years and had responsibility for the EMEA region. 

GridCore™ Composite Utility Poles Key performance advantages include: Lower Total System and Lifecycle Cost: With an expected service life of up to 80 years, GridCore poles are developed for resilience. The extended lifecycle can result in overall cost savings compared to wood poles, which require replacement every 30-40 years due to aging, damage, or failure.

products include specialty engineered materials, advanced composites, color and additive systems and polymer distribution. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit markets that could adversely impact the availability of credit already arranged and the availability and cost of credit in the future; the effect on foreign operations of currency fluctuations, tariffs and other political, economic and regulatory risks, including recessionary conditions; the current and potential future impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, results of operations, financial position or cash flows, including without limitation, any supply chain and logistics issues; changes in polymer consumption growth rates and laws and regulations regarding plastics in jurisdictions where we conduct business; fluctuations in raw material prices, quality and supply, and in energy prices and supply; production outages or material costs associated with scheduled or unscheduled maintenance programs; unanticipated developments that could occur with respect to contingencies such as litigation and environmental matters; our ability to pay regular quarterly cash dividends and the amounts and timing of any future dividends; information systems failures and cyberattacks; amounts for cash and non-cash charges related to restructuring plans that may differ from original estimates, including because of timing changes associated with the underlying actions; any material adverse changes in the Dyneema Business; our ability to achieve the strategic and other objectives relating to the Acquisition and the possible sale of the Distribution business segment; and other factors described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended

products include specialty engineered materials, advanced composites, color and additive systems and polymer distribution. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit markets that could adversely impact the availability of credit already arranged and the availability and cost of credit in the future; the effect on foreign operations of currency fluctuations, tariffs and other political, economic and regulatory risks, including recessionary conditions; the current and potential future impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, results of operations, financial position or cash flows, including without limitation, any supply chain and logistics issues; changes in polymer consumption growth rates and laws and regulations regarding plastics in jurisdictions where we conduct business; fluctuations in raw material prices, quality and supply, and in energy prices and supply; production outages or material costs associated with scheduled or unscheduled maintenance programs; unanticipated developments that could occur with respect to contingencies such as litigation and environmental matters; our ability to pay regular quarterly cash dividends and the amounts and timing of any future dividends; information systems failures and cyberattacks; amounts for cash and non-cash charges related to restructuring plans that may differ from original estimates, including because of timing changes associated with the underlying actions; any material adverse changes in the acquired DPM protective materials business; our ability to achieve the strategic and other objectives relating to the Acquisition and the possible sale of the Distribution business segment; and other factors described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended

as a leader in the advanced composites space," said Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the credit markets that could adversely impact the availability of credit already arranged and the availability and cost of credit in the future; the effect on foreign operations of currency fluctuations, tariffs and other political, economic and regulatory risks, including recessionary conditions; the current and potential future impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, results of operations, financial position or cash flows, including without limitation, any supply chain and logistics issues; changes in polymer consumption growth rates and laws and regulations regarding plastics in jurisdictions where we conduct business; fluctuations in raw material prices, quality and supply, and in energy prices and supply; production outages or material costs associated with scheduled or unscheduled maintenance programs; unanticipated developments that could occur with respect to contingencies such as litigation and environmental matters; our ability to pay regular quarterly cash dividends and the amounts and timing of any future dividends; information systems failures and cyberattacks; amounts for cash and non-cash charges related to restructuring plans that may differ from original estimates, including because of timing changes associated with the underlying actions; our ability to successfully integrate the Avient Protective Materials business and achieve the expected results of the business, including without limitation, the acquisition being accretive; any material adverse changes in the business supporting the Distribution assets being sold; the ability to obtain required regulatory approvals and otherwise consummate the proposed sale of the Distribution business; our ability to achieve the strategic and other objectives relating to the Avient Protective Materials business and the proposed sale of the Distribution business; and other factors described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended

These new grades of TPEs, launched earlier this year in Europe, contain 25%-55% post-consumer recycle (PCR) content, complement the existing offering of PCR-based products for polypropylene (PP) overmolding, and are specially developed for automotive interior applications such as mats, grips, and console trays.

As if that weren’t enough, they also wanted to create a unique energy-return midsole that would add spring to the runner’s step. All of the components in the midsole worked together to create a shoe with custom cushioning and optimum energy absorption and return. Increased sales: Retail bookings in the first year of the new shoe increased 40 percent over the previous model.

And combined efforts to execute our strategy have worked.  2018 marked the ninth consecutive year of adjusted EPS expansion at Avient, as we delivered $2.43 per share.  Over this period, we have significantly increased our operating margins in each of our businesses, as well as our Return on Invested Capital, and we have raised our dividend for seven years in a row.   As a result, we’ve generated $1.3 billion dollars in revenue from sustainable solutions over the last three years.

Over the years, we have invested heavily in commercial resources and innovation, emphasizing higher-margin specialty business in less-cyclical end markets.   Although we are several years into our specialty journey, we should all view this as a landmark acquisition, with our best days to come." Modest initial net debt to adjusted EBITDA leverage of 3.5x (3.1x pro forma for synergies) will be reduced to below 3x within two years.