+1 - Solvay

SOLVERA ® and FLUORLINK ®
brand names, are used principally
as water-repellent and anti-grease
agents in wrapping paper and
textiles. Our H-GALDEN ®
high-performance, low environmental
impact heat-transfer fluid
will also benefit from this capacity
extension.
Solvay Solexis and Thin Film
Electronics ASA (a Norwegian
company based in Oslo) have
concluded an agreement to develop
materials for printed electronic
components.
The new micronized polytetrafluoroethylene
(PTFE) powder
plant currently under construction
at Changshu in China will be
operational in the first quarter of
2008. This micronized powder,
marketed under the POLYMIST ®
brand name, is used in various
complex applications like
cosmetics, high gloss inks and
high performance lubricants.
Finally, two world class production
units for our HYFLON ® et
ALGOFLON ® fluoropolymers have
started up at Spinetta (Italy).
Solvay Advanced Polymers, based
at Alpharetta (USA), has just
brought on stream a production
expansion for its RADEL ® R
polyphenylsulfones and launched
a new range of SOLVIVA plastics
that meet the very demanding
specifications for medical implants.
These applications have
required all production chains to
be brought into conformity
with the international production
standards that apply in the
medical world.
The ultrapolymers segment has
been significantly strengthened
with the start-up of a pilot
polyether-ether ketone (PEEK)
unit at Alpharetta (USA) and the
construction of an industrial scale
PEEK platform at Panoli (India), to
be rolled out in early 2008.
A new PVDC (polyvinylidine
chloride) latex production unit is to
be built at SolVin’s Tavaux (France)
site, which now houses the entire
production of this polymer.
Under the trade name DIOFAN ® ,
this latex is used as a barrier
material for coating paper or plastic
films for integrity-critical packaging
situations, in particular in the food
and pharmaceutical sectors.
In 2007, demand for specialty
polymers was particularly strong
in pharmaceutical packaging,
semi-conductors, retail electronics,
medical applications and water
treatment. By contrast, auto
markets in Europe and the USA
were weaker. In most cases, our
sales have grown faster than their
respective market segments,
including automotive, thanks to the
width of our product ranges and our
capacity for innovation. Today, more
than 30% of sales are of products
brought to market during the past
five years.
Our strong R&D portfolio, our
control of both fixed and variable
costs (which improves our
competitiveness, for example by
improving the efficiency of our
polymerization processes), our
initiatives in HSE (Health, Safety
and Environment) and the use of
Best Available Technologies (BAT)
in our plants, should together
promote the growth and improve
the performance of our specialty
polymers in 2008 and 2009.
Globally speaking, specialty
polymers are a major contributor
to sustainable growth. Significant
weight reductions in cars and
airplanes contribute to fuel savings.
With their constantly improving
mechanical strength and high
temperature resistance, specialty
polymers are steadily replacing
other, more energy-consuming
materials. Finally, they permit
the development of new, highly
sophisticated applications, for
example in water treatment or the
medical field, thereby contributing to
the well-being of a growing number
of individuals in the world.
Polyolefin compounds
fared variously in their different
markets. Padanaplast (Italy),
which manufactures and markets
polyethylene-based compounds,
saw its sales of compounds for
both piping (replacing copper in
domestic applications) and specialty
cables increase by double-digit
figures. 75% of sales are outside
Italy, to 70 countries across
the world.
Solvay Engineered Polymers (SEP)
in the United States is active in
polypropylene and elastomer
compounds, mainly for the North
American automobile market.
Agreement was reached to sell
the entire subsidiary to Basell,
the leading world producer of
polypropylene and advanced
polyolefins. The principal reason
is that this activity today fits
less well with the strategy of the
Sector, which is expanding in very
high performance polymers with
high added value markets, and
selectively in vinyls. This transaction
should be finalized in the first
quarter of 2008.
Inergy Automotive
Systems (50/50 joint
venture with Plastic
Omnium in fuel systems)
The world leader in fuel systems for
the automotive industry, with around
13 million systems sold every
year, Inergy Automotive Systems
experienced a slight fall (1.2%) in its
volumes and sales in 2007. Even
so, thanks to cost-control initiatives,
the operating margin was up
significantly from 2006.
This resilience of profits is
due to major efforts to boost
competitiveness, with reductions
Plastics Sector
Solvay Global Annual Report 2007
Plastics
45