- €75 million investment for an 85,000-ton HDS plant in Włocławek, Poland
- Completion expected in Q3 2014
- Located in a Special Economic Zone within Anwil's industrial site
- Expansion in Qingdao, China to reach 112,000 tons per year by end of 2013
Investment and Capacity Expansion
Solvay announced a €75 million investment to build a new 85,000-ton per year Highly Dispersible Silica (HDS) plant in Włocławek, Poland. This, along with an expansion at its Qingdao site in China, will increase Solvay’s global HDS production capacity by 30%.
Strategic Location
The new plant in Poland is strategically located in central Poland, near key energy distribution networks and the Warsaw-Gdansk highway. It is situated within a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) integrated into the industrial site of Anwil, a subsidiary of PKN Orlen. The project is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2014.
Product Focus
The plant will produce Zeosil® Premium, a highly dispersible silica used in energy-saving tires. This product can decrease fuel consumption by up to 7% while enhancing other tire performance properties. The demand for Zeosil® Premium has increased significantly due to tire labeling regulations.
Global Expansion
In addition to the new plant in Poland, Solvay is expanding its Qingdao plant in China, which will increase its capacity to 112,000 tons per year by the end of 2013. These investments follow previous expansions in France (2012), the US (2011), and the establishment of the Qingdao plant in 2010. Upon completion, Solvay’s global HDS production capacity will be close to 500,000 tons annually, doubling from pre-2010 levels.
