- Solvay is increasing hydroquinone capacity in Europe by 20%.
- The expansion is at the Saint-Fons plant in France.
- The project will be fully operational by Q2-2019.
- Hydroquinone, MEHQ, TBC, and PTZ are produced at the plant.
Capacity Expansion
Solvay is increasing its European hydroquinone capacity by 20% to enhance supply security across three continents and meet the rising demand for diphenol inhibitors used as additives in the monomer industry. This expansion is being carried out at the Saint-Fons plant in France by debottlenecking the existing unit.
Timeline
The project is expected to be fully operational by Q2-2019. This follows a recent capacity increase at Solvay's plant in Zhenjiang, China.
Production Network
The Saint-Fons Specialities plant is one of three facilities in Solvay's global inhibitor production network, which spans Europe, North America, and Asia. The plant produces hydroquinone, MEHQ (Monomethyl Ether of Hydroquinone), TBC (tertiary butyl-catechol), and PTZ (phenothiazine).
Applications
Hydroquinone is crucial for process safety, transport, and storage in monomer inhibition. It is also used as a monomer in polymer and coatings applications.
