A major investment in Spinetta Marengo (Italy) to confirm world leadership
Solvay Solexis announced today the decision to launch two major capacity expansions in fluorinated polymers, which are scheduled to be operational in 2007 at its largest production site, in Spinetta Marengo (Italy). The planned investment in world-class equipment includes a new Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) Algoflon® fine powders production unit and an additional Hyflon® PFA/MFA production line. They are intended to fuel double digit growth in sales, as Solvay Solexis meets a strong increase in demand and anticipates further development with the introduction of a new grade in the Hyflon® range.
These expansions will reinforce Solvay Solexis’ position as global leader in high performance thermoplastic fluoropolymers as well as one of the major actors in PTFE specialty grades used in the most demanding applications.
The success of Hyflon® MFA 1041, a high productivity grade of Hyflon® used in plenum wire and cable applications encouraged Solvay Solexis to invest in this range of value-added materials. The company’s R&D effort generated a new Hyflon® MFA grade with much better performance in terms of fire resistance and smoke emission, which is intended for high end applications in the information technology sector – more specifically: for the cabling of local area networks (LAN).
The Algoflon® expansion will boost Solvay Solexis’ portfolio of high performance PTFE grades which, thanks to their properties – extreme chemical and fire resistance, exceptional dielectric properties, etc. – are used in global markets such as aerospace, automotive, electronic, medical, electrical and consumer goods, cables for high capacity signal transmission, micro filtration membranes as well as gasket and tubing able to resist extreme temperatures and aggressive chemicals.
“With the successful acquisition and integration of Ausimont’s fluoromaterials activities, from 2002, Solvay has built a world leadership position in fluoropolymers through the creation of Solvay Solexis. With the broadest range of monomers and polymers, Solvay Solexis is now focusing its strategy on a rapid development in valueadded products with a strong commitment to provide to customers worldwide new solutions for their most demanding applications”, commented Bernard de Laguiche, CEO of Solvay Solexis and Member of the Solvay Group Executive Committee.
“Solvay has today a unique position in the high performance polymer market, as it is the only producer which can offer both a broad portfolio of Fluoromaterials and a range of high temperature, high stiffness engineering polymers, which were added in 2001 through the acquisition of BP Amoco activities,” stressed Vincenzo Morici, General Manager Specialty Polymers Strategic Business Unit. “Last December, we announced a major investment in a new Polyethersulfone unit (PES) and are looking at more initiatives for both internal and external growth opportunities,” he added.
Solvay Solexis, an international leader in the fluorinated materials market, is part of the Strategic Business Unit Specialty Polymers of the Solvay group. It employs approximately 2,000 people and operates worldwide through seven companies in Italy, France, Japan, Brazil, China, Korea and the United States. Solvay Solexis is headquartered in Bollate (Milano, Italy), which also hosts its main R&D facility, with 300 researchers.(www.solvaysolexis.com) Solvay is an international chemical and pharmaceutical group with headquarters in Brussels. It employs some 30,000 people in 50 countries. In 2004 its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 7.9 billion, generated by its three activity sectors: Chemicals, Plastics and Pharmaceuticals. Solvay is listed on the Euronext 100 index of top European companies.Details are available at www.solvay.com.
Notes to the Editors:
Hyflon® MFA and PFA (perfluoroalkoxyl) are semi-crystalline fully-fluorinated melt processable fluoropolymers which offer the highest temperature rating, and broadest chemical resistance of all melt processable fluoropolymers. They are an ideal choice for extreme thermal and chemical environments. The outstanding combination of thermal and electrical properties makes these materials particularly suitable for the plenum wire and cable industry for the insulation of high temperature cables, heating cables and signal wires. In lining applications, Hyflon PFA and MFA deliver better resistance to stress cracking and lower creep than perfluoro ethylene/propylene (FEP). They also provide better permeation resistance and a higher temperature rating than competing materials, at a competitive price.
Algoflon® Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) materials are used for the manufacturing of products which need to offer excellent chemical resistance and unique properties over a wide temperature range - from cryogenic to 260°C/500°F. In addition to its chemical and temperature resistance and non-flammability, Algoflon® exhibits excellent physical, electrical, and anti-stick properties due to its high molecular weight and molecular structure. Algoflon PTFE is used in a wide variety of industries including chemical, automotive, electricity & electronics and others. One of the better know domestic applications are non-stick coatings for cooking utensils.
