Solvay to build large specialty polymers production plant in China to continue serving fast growing demand

Solvay will invest about EUR 120 million to produce its high value-added products SOLEF® PVDF and TECNOFLON® FKM and their essential VF2 monomer in China

Solvay announced today it has launched a project to build a specialty polymers production plant for SOLEF® Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF), TECNOFLON® Fluoroelastomers (FKM) and their essential monomer VF2 in China to satisfy the growing demand for these high value-added specialty polymers in Asia.

The plant will be built at Solvay’s industrial site in Changshu in the province of Jiangsu and is scheduled to become operational at the beginning of 2014. It requires the investment of EUR 120 million and will significantly boost Solvay’s global production capacity for these specialty polymers.

The TECNOFLON® FKM product family is used for demanding sealing applications in aggressive chemical and high heat environments where high purity and long service life are essential such as those found in the automotive, aerospace, oil & gas and energy markets. Typical end use products include O-rings, seals, gaskets and complex molded parts. Demand growth for TECNOFLON® is markedly driven by the buoyant China automotive market.

SOLEF® PVDF can withstand heat and pressure, aggressive chemicals, mechanical stress and abrasive particles in varied applications and is widely used in Lithium-ion batteries, the chemical industry, membranes for water purification and oil & gas extraction.

The new plant in Changshu will be built next to the compounding plant under construction for Amodel® polyphthalamide (PPA), Ixef® polyarylamide (PARA) and Kalix® (modified PARA) which is scheduled to become operational in the last quarter of 2012.
“This new production plant will enable Solvay to capture a part of the huge growth potential in this exciting and dynamic region. We’ll bring our customers more high value-added polymers which will help them improve their environmental footprint and sustainability profile,” comments Jacques van Rijckevorsel, Group General Manager of Solvay’s Plastics Sector and member of the Executive Committee.
“The plant in Changshu will transform the site into a strong industrial base for fluorinated polymers and their essential strategic feedstock in China. We can this way leverage the Chinese Fluorine supply chain, be closer to our customers and diversify our supply basis by adding a new production base for both SOLEF® PVDF and Fluoroelastomers TECNOFLON®,” adds Augusto Di Donfrancesco, Senior Executive Vice President and General Manager of Solvay’s Global Business Unit Specialty Polymers.

SOLVAY is an international industrial Group active in Chemistry. It offers a broad range of products and solutions that contribute to improving quality of life. The Group is headquartered in Brussels and employs about 16,800 people in 40 countries. In 2010, its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 7.1 billion. Solvay is listed on the NYSE Euronext stock exchange in Brussels, Belgium (NYSE Euronext: SOLB.BE - Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLBt.BR).