Rhodia steps up global silica production

ERJ staff report (LMH)

Lyon, France -- Rhodia plans to increase its silica production capacities by 32 000 tonnes this year with significant investment in the US and France, the chemical company said in a 22 Feb statement.

Rhodia said expansions are planned in its Chicago Heights and Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or plants, with production start-up expected by the fourth quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012 respectively.

Along with the firm's recently inaugurated Qingdao plant in China, which has a capacity of 72 000 tonnes per year, the expansions “will increase Rhodia's highly dispersible capacity by over 40 percent,” the company said.

"These expansions will ensure that globally we will be there for our customers to meet future demand for fuel efficient tires around the world,” Tom Benner,

president of Rhodia Silica, said.

Rhodia's highly dispersible silica is used in the production of fuel-efficient tyres.

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Press release from Rhodia