Chemical company Solvay is expanding its kitting capabilities in Toulouse, France to meet the growing demand for large composite parts such as aircraft wings and wind turbine blades. The expansion will increase the site's manufacturing rate of large vacuum bagging kits and create 60 new jobs. Solvay's extensive composite product portfolio includes prepregs, resin systems, adhesives, and surfacing films. The use of kits reduces labor costs, production time, waste, and improves process control and part quality. Solvay's Toulouse site also offers consultancy and design expertise to deliver tailored kits to customers.
Alpharetta - Solvay is doubling its kitting capabilities for process materials in France to meet the increasing production rate of large composite parts such as aircraft wings or wind turbine blades.
The kitting facility in Toulouse primarily serves customers across Europe. The additional equipment, capacity and floor space will increase the site’s manufacturing rate of large vacuum bagging kits and 60 new jobs will be created over the next few years.
“Solvay is reinforcing its position as a key partner to the industry, serving customers out of Europe and the U.S. Process materials are critical for our customers to successfully manufacture composite parts and we see that these high-value added products and services are an important component to driving the industrialization trend”, said Carmelo Lo Faro, President of Solvay’s Composite Materials Global Business Unit (GBU).
Solvay has the most extensive composite product portfolio, including prepregs, resin systems, adhesives and surfacing films, carbon fiber, textiles, tooling and process materials available as roll-stock or customized kits.
In using kits, manufacturers benefit from reduced labor cost, total production time and waste, as well as better process control which improves the quality of parts and repeatability.
Solvay is ideally placed to support its customers thanks to its long standing expertise in design of complex kits and shaped bags as well as its in-house capability for co-extrusion and transformation of multi-layered plastic bagging films. With several kitting facilities including primary sites in Santa Fe Springs, USA and Toulouse, France, Solvay is able to efficiently supply its global customer base.
Solvay's Toulouse Site
This site is focused on the fabrication of large complex vacuum bagging kits but also elastomeric reusable bags. Complex kits include fully tailored, part specific cut shapes that can be combined with reusable/welded bags.
Solvay’s reusable bags are manufactured from high performance silicone rubber compound.
These bags are manufactured to exact customers’ requirements and not only save time when compared to traditional consumable lay-up but also decrease material waste and risk of operator error.
The site’s consultancy and design expertise combined with its kitting manufacturing site (opened in April 2015) enable Solvay to deliver tailored kits to its customers, enabling them to focus on their core activities.