# Eastman Chemical Restores $375 Million DOE Award for Kingsport Methanolysis Expansion

> Eastman Chemical reinstates a $375 million DOE award, less about $35 million already received, to expand Kingsport methanolysis capacity by roughly 30%.

- Published: 2026-10-29T20:18:04+00:00
- Section: Funding
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-29/eastman-chemical-doe-award-reinstated
- Source: [Business Wire](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261029835607/en/)

## Key takeaways

- Eastman Chemical's reinstated Department of Energy award is $375 million, less about $35 million already received under the prior agreement.
- The updated scope adds a roughly 30% capacity increase at Eastman's Kingsport, Tennessee methanolysis facility through debottlenecking.
- Eastman expects up to $100 million of incremental revenue growth in 2026 versus 2025 from Kingsport and more than $100 million again in 2027.

Eastman Chemical said on October 29, 2026 that the U.S. Department of Energy reinstated a $375 million award for its domestic recycled-plastics supply chain, less about $35 million the company has already received under the prior agreement. The company announced the reinstatement in a [Business Wire](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261029835607/en/) release.

## Eastman's Updated DOE Investment Plan

The reinstated award covers an updated investment plan for [Eastman Chemical](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0002haf/eastman-chemical), which will proceed on a milestone basis aligned with customer contracts and supportive policy. The scope includes raising output at the company's commercial-scale methanolysis facility in Kingsport, Tennessee by approximately 30% through debottlenecking and technology advancements, with modest capital investment. It also covers restarting and repurposing underutilized U.S. recycling infrastructure and creating a disciplined pathway for a second U.S. methanolysis facility, with flexibility on its location and timing.

"This partnership represents an opportunity to strengthen American manufacturing by building a more resilient domestic supply chain for recycled materials," said Mark Costa, Eastman board chair and chief executive officer. Assistant Secretary of Energy Audrey Robertson said the department "will continue to collaborate with private industry to make U.S. manufacturing the strongest in the world and grow jobs and economic prosperity."

Eastman expects up to $100 million of incremental revenue growth in 2026 compared with 2025 from the Kingsport facility and more than $100 million of incremental revenue growth again in 2027. Costa said customer commitments "are what will translate this proven technology into a stronger, more resilient U.S. circular economy."

## Eastman's Recycling Agreements And Prior Funding

According to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data), Eastman signed a multi-year agreement with PepsiCo in May 2026 to produce Gatorade bottles using Eastman PET Renew. The same records list a March 2024 grant of $375 million led by the U.S. Department of Energy and a July 2024 post-IPO debt round of $500 million.

| Date | Event | Amount |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2023-02 | Post-IPO debt | $500 million |
| 2024-03 | Grant led by the U.S. Department of Energy | $375 million |
| 2024-07 | Post-IPO debt | $500 million |

## Eastman's Recent Kingsport Visits And Disclosures

Congressman Morgan Griffith toured Eastman's Kingsport, Tennessee facility in October 2026, discussing recycling plastics, according to Yahoo. Eastman said on October 6, 2026 that it would release third-quarter 2026 financial results on October 29, 2026 at approximately 4:15 p.m. Eastern Time, Stock Titan reported, without disclosing financial details or guidance for the quarter.

## Eastman's Kingsport Capacity Timeline

Eastman has identified the approximately 30% Kingsport capacity increase through debottlenecking, and the company said the expansion will now be included in the updated scope of the DOE funding. The company's [own announcement](http://eastman.com) describes the milestone-based plan for the reinstated award.

## Companies in this story

- [Eastman Chemical company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0002haf/eastman-chemical) · website: http://eastman.com

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