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Solvay to ramp up resin output at Indian plant

10 Dec '14

2 min read

To support strong demand for its innovative ultra-high performance polymers KetaSpire and AvaSpire, Solvay, a producer of speciality polymers is ramping up resin output at its plant in Panoli, Gujarat State in India by 25 per cent.

Solvay's Global Business Unit Specialty Polymers has the industry's widest range of high and ultra-high performance polymers.

Due to their outstanding qualities of strength, toughness, excellent friction and wear properties, heat and chemical resistance, Solvay's KetaSpire and AvaSpire are used in markets growing at least 8-10 per cent annually.

In transportation, these ultra-polymers replace metals and help make cars and airplanes lighter thereby reducing fuel consumption and Co2 emissions, while other key markets include healthcare, electronics and energy.

Solvay said, capacity expansion of the polyaryletherketone resin, used as a base to make KetaSpire polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and AvaSpire polyaryletherketone (PAEK), is already underway to reach more than 1,000 tons per year in the third quarter of 2015.

"Demand for KetaSpire and AvaSpire resins has been growing significantly thanks to Solvay's ability to deliver innovative and tailored solutions in close relations with its customers," said Augusto Di Donfrancesco, president of Solvay Specialty Polymers.

"Our announcement to debottleneck capacity shows we are determined to keep pace with this growing demand worldwide and with our customers' creativity in leveraging the features of our innovative materials," he added.

Ever since commissioning its polyaryletherketone resin operations in 2008, Solvay Specialty Polymers has progressively been ramping up resin capacity at Panoli. Solvay's major R&I center in Savli, also located in Gujarat and about 100 km from Panoli, made important contributions to innovations that are supporting the site's expansion.

The Indian Chemical Council recently awarded the Panoli unit with the ‘Responsible Care’ certification, recognizing its dedication to developing and supplying products and services that, throughout their life cycle, pose minimal risk to human beings and the environment, while best meeting customer needs. (AR)

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India