Solvay installs new thermoplastic composite capacity in the US

The project represents a major milestone in Solvay’s efforts to industrialise its TPC capacity. A key driver for the world-class facility is growing demand from energy companies, supported by increasing aerospace and automotive demand. The new product line will have the ability to manufacture unidirectional composite tape from a range of high-performance polymers including PVDF, PPS, and PEEK, Solvay said in a press release.

The Greenville facility is part of a series of recent strategic investments in line with the group’s commitment to build the infrastructure required for the growing TPC market. Other recent commitments to the industry include Solvay’s addition of capacity for TPC tape in Anaheim (CA), two new R&I centres in Brussels (BE) and Alpharetta (GA), and Solvay’s membership in the TPRC consortium.

Upon commercialisation of the Greenville facility, Solvay will be uniquely positioned with proprietary technologies enabling the company to position the right product for the right application. Solvay’s TPC portfolio includes Evolite, which offers reliability and lower total cost of ownership in markets such as energy and automotive, and APC tapes, which offer significant weight and cost advantages in aerospace and urban air mobility applications, according to Solvay.

“The TPC solutions that will be manufactured in our Greenville facility will help our energy, aerospace and automotive customers achieve better environmental responsibility by making cars and planes lighter, thereby reducing emissions. Our new capacity and differentiated technologies will allow us to expand with our customers as TPCs gain momentum in a growing number of applications and play an important role in the energy transition,” Mike Finelli, president of Solvay’s growth platforms said in a statement.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (GK)