Solvay has started production of Highly Dispersible Silica (HDS) at its new plant in Wloclawek, Poland.
The plant will have an 85,000t capacity and create more than 100 jobs in the Pomeranian region.
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“From this plant Solvay will deliver customers in Central and Eastern Europe its latest breakthrough tyre solutions, which contribute to cleaner and more competitive mobility,” said Solvay Silica Global Business Unit president, An Nuyttens.
“Through its global market reach, innovation capabilities and increasing number of applications in passenger and truck tyres, Solvay is best-placed to meet growth opportunities in improving their performance and in lowering CO2 emissions.”
The site will produce grades of HDS, a reinforcing agent in the tyre rubber, which is claimed to reduce a vehicle’s fuel consumption by as much as 7%.
With Wloclawek, Solvay’s Silica has a global footprint with nine sites across Europe, South America, North America and Asia.
In South Korea, Solvay is building a plant which will produce Efficium and, once on stream, raise Solvay’s annual silica capacity by close to 50% between 2014 and 2016.
