Solvay Expands Thermoplastic Composite Capacity
Solvay’s new TPC line will produce unidirectional composite tape from a range of high-performance resins including PVDF, PPS and PEEK.
Solvay Specialty Polymers has completed the installation of a new thermoplastic composites (TPC) manufacturing facility at its Greenville, S.C. site. A key driver for the world-class facility is growing demand from energy companies, supported by increasing aerospace and automotive demand. The project represents a major milestone in Solvay’s efforts to industrialize its TPC capacity.
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. Upon full commercialization of the Greenville facility, the new line will add more than 30 positions at the 27,000-sq.ft. 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 carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics, which offer 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.
Said Mike Finelli, president of Solvay’s growth platforms. “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.”
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, Calif., two new R&I centers in Belgium and Alpharetta, Ga., and Solvay’s membership in the TPRC consortium.
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