CHINAPLAS ’12: Rhodia to start up compounding plant in China Changshu

17 April 2012 12:28  [Source: ICIS news]

SHANGHAI (ICIS)--Rhodia plans to start up a performance polymers compounding plant in Changshu, Jiangsu province, China, around the middle of 2012, months ahead of schedule, the France-based producer said on Tuesday.

The €21m ($28m) facility will include three lines with a combined capacity of 15,000 tonnes/year, said Frank Laganier, director of the Asia-Pacific zone for Rhodia Engineering Plastics, speaking at Chinaplas.

The company has scheduled to expand the plant to 11 lines in the future, depending on market demand conditions, he added.

“We set up this project to meet the fast growing market demand in China, such as electrical, electronics, automotive, consumer and industrial applications,” Laganier said.

“The facility will be fully adaptable for future expansion for both overall capacity and for other high performance engineering and fluorinated polymers,” he added.

In addition, Rhodia's parent company Solvay, is scheduled to start up a €120m production plant for fluorinated polymers at its industrial site in Changshu in 2014, said Maurizio Gastaldi, head of Asia growth and development at Solvay Specialty Polymers, also at Chinaplas.

According to Solvay, it will significantly boost Solvay's global production capacity and meet growing demand for high value-added specialty polymers in Asia for end-use markets such as automotive, photovoltaic (PV), Li-Ion batteries, membranes for water purification and oil and gas applications.

“Our strategically located manufacturing facilities of high-class products for end use markets such as photovoltaic and lithium batteries ensure China’s OEMs meet the rapidly growing domestic and regional needs and contribute to wider global demands,” Gastaldi said.

Belgium-based plastics and chemicals producer Solvay in April 2011 announced it had agreed to fully acquire Rhodia for €3.4bn, aiming to enhance its performance in the emerging markets.

The 2012 Chinaplas conference runs from 18-21 April in Shanghai, China.

($1 = €0.76)

By: Rachel Yang

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