Solvay S.A. (Brussels Belgium; www.solvay.com) is expanding its global production capacity in sulfone polymers in India and the United States to address significant demand growth from mainly the medical and water treatment industries for this high-performance thermoplastic material.
As part of Solvay’s earlier announced plan to lift sulfone polymers capacity by more than 35% in the next 5 years, Solvay is constructing a new production unit, dedicated to polyethersulfone (PESU) in Panoli,India. Capacity increases are also occurring in the U.S. at Solvay’s polymer and monomer units in Marietta (Ohio) and Augusta (Georgia), via investment and process optimizations.
“Solvay’s expansion firms up our leading position in sulfone polymers which benefit from booming demand in fast-growing industries such as water purification and healthcare,” said Augusto Di Donfrancesco, President of Solvay’s Specialty Polymers Global Business Unit.“ Our customers can rely on us for their long term supply worldwide from such key regions as the United States and Asia.”
Construction of the new unit in Panoli is underway and production should reach full capacity mid 2019.
Solvay’s sulfone polymers Radel PPSU (polyphenylsulfone), Veradel PESU (polyethersulfone) and Udel PSU (polysulfone) are applied in a range of highly competitive industries, such as aerospace, automotive, water and electronics as well as consumer and construction markets.