MOSCOW (MRC) -- Solvay Specialty Polymers has chosen to build a new high-performance polymer plant next to its existing facility in Augusta, said Plastemart.
The Belgium-based company chose the south Augusta plastics plant over its sister facility in India, said Alain De Greef, Solvay’s site manager in Augusta, adding “Besides the reputation of this site, the good safety records and the quality, a big factor in the decision was the utilities cost. Basically, in the U.S. and particularly here in Augusta, we have some advantages."
"The total capacity of Solvay is going to be around 2,500 metric tons (about 5.5 million pounds) and that will include the unit in Panoli (India) and the unit in Augusta," De Greef said. Land across from the plant on Clanton Road will be cleared to accommodate parking for the 250 to 300 construction workers who will build the facility, De Greef said.
De Greef said the company is also upgrading and increasing the capacity of four existing units, which service a variety of business sectors, including electronics, health care, aircraft and automotive. In 2001, Solvay acquired the Clanton Road facility from BP Amoco. The site originally was developed by Dartco Manufacturing in 1984. Solvay makes more than 1,500 products through 35 different high-performance polymer brands.
As MRC wrote before, Solvay completed the acquisition of the Ryton PPS (polyphenylene sulphide) business from US-based Chevron Phillips Chemical Company for USD220 million, enlarging its high-performance polymers offering and entering a solid growth market.
Solvay S.A. is a Belgian chemical company founded in 1863, with its head office in Neder-Over-Heembeek, Brussels, Belgium. The company has diversified into two major sectors of activity: chemicals and plastics. Solvay supplies over 1500 products across 35 brands of high-performance polymers - fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorinated fluids, semi-aromatic polyamides, sulfone polymers, aromatic ultra polymers, high-barrier polymers and cross-linked high-performance compounds.