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Customer Story: Eastman Chemical Company

This Major Manufacturing Company Found the Right Formula for Emergency Alerting

A global specialty materials manufacturer headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, Eastman was originally established in 1920 to manufacture photographic chemicals for Eastman Kodak. Today, over a century later, it has become a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of advanced materials, chemicals, and fibers for everyday purposes. The company now has more than 50 manufacturing sites worldwide and employs approximately 14,500 people.

Enhanced Emergency Communication and Safety

Customizable and Scalable Alerting System

Proven Reliability in Crisis Situations

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Eastman Safeguards personnel with Rapid Emergency Communication.

That’s what Eastman Chemical Company has always sought to do.

Revolutionizing Safety: Eastman Chemical’s Emergency Alert System Upgrade

How BlackBerry AtHoc modernized communications at Eastman’s Kingsport facility, protecting thousands with speed and precision.

Overcoming the Complexity of Crisis Communication

Kingsport hosts more than just Eastman Chemical Company’s headquarters. It’s also the location of a major manufacturing site. With over 7,000 employees and contractors on-site at any given time, the Kingsport plant is not only Eastman’s largest manufacturing facility, but also one of the largest in the United States. “Our site hosts five operating divisions and multiple manufacturing operations, both batch and continuous,” explains Keith Bennett, Emergency Services Manager at Eastman. “This is in addition to our corporate campus, which requires completely different messaging from the rest of the facility. Eastman employs its own firefighters, EMTs, and fire maintenance teams at this site, as well.” Eastman’s original emergency notification system used only three device platforms, was antiquated, and ill-suited to handle this large site and level of complexity. “We lacked both standardization and modern technology,” says Bennett. “Using three different platforms, including ringdown phones, two-way radios, and pagers, we had the potential for inconsistencies. Sometimes you wouldn’t communicate the same message on each device, or sometimes you’d forget to use one of the devices or only terminate the message on one of them. The device technology was also outdated and not reliable.”

The Birth of Eastman Alert

Eastman Chemical Company deployed BlackBerry AtHoc to modernize its emergency communications, replacing a legacy ringdown phone system while retaining its local pagers and two-way radios. The solution integrated these existing systems and added new IP-addressable channels, including email, computer pop-ups, and VoIP phones. The company established distinct communication templates for its manufacturing plant and corporate campus, divided into three categories: Operations Critical Messages, Weather Events, and life-threatening Emergencies. Dispatch, staffed by the on-site fire department, manages all alerts, with trained incident commanders authorized to send notifications.

Sending a Clear Message

In 2017, an explosion occured in the Kingsport facility’s coal gasification plant. It was one of the most significant process safety events in 50 years. This was also a considerable test of Eastman Alert – and it passed with flying colors. “We immediately went to our highest category of emergency classification, sending out a Class D alert to all personnel,” Bennett recalls. “This indicated that a significant event had occurred, which could impact both the site and the community. The Eastman Alert system allowed us to quickly and broadly communicate critical information to ensure that all personnel could get out of harm’s way.” Critical emergencies aside, Eastman is able to effortlessly convey everything from weather issues to medical events. Eastman’s Kingsport facility also has the option to act as a host for other sites, allowing for significant internal growth at a reduced cost of infrastructure. Currently, it has deployed its alerting system to five other sites. “Through BlackBerry AtHoc, we’ve been able to communicate both effectively and in a timely manner,” concludes Bennett. “It’s really helped keep our employees safe.”

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