Solvay breaks ground on silica plant in Poland

ERJ staff report (RPN)

Wloclawek, Poland – Solvay S.A. has officially broken ground for its state-of-the-art highly dispersible silica (HDS) plant in Poland, reports Rubber & Plastics News.

The Belgian ambassador to Poland, the mayor of Wloclawek and other local dignitaries attended the ceremony, according to the company.

The company is making a $100m (€78m) investment in the facility, creating more than 50 jobs. It will expand Solvay's HDS capacity to 85 000 tons per year, servicing customers in Eastern Europe and Russia.

The plant will be located in central Poland, close to key energy distribution and the recently completed Warsaw-Gdansk highway, according to the company. It is being built on a lot that covers more than 200 acres in a designated Special Economic Zone within Wloclawek and will be integrated within the industrial complex of Anwil, a subsidiary of the Polish refining and energy company PKN Orlen Capital Group, one of Central Europe's largest refiners of crude oil.

"Our new Wloclawek facility represents Solvay's focus on the future and underscores our unyielding commitment to accompany our customers' growth—not only in Eastern Europe and Russia, but also around the world," said Tom Benner, president of Solvay Silica.

Solvay is also in the process of expanding its facility in Qingdao, China.