Solvay silica sales decline amid unfavourable regional mix

Brussels – Solvay has reported lower silica sales for the second quarter of 2026, amid an unfavourable regional sales mix and a lag in price indexation.

Silica sales reached €130 million for the three months to 30 June, down 2.7% year-on-year from €134 million a year earlier, the Belgian group reported in its recent second-quarter results.

Solvay described the performance as "resilient", but said the business was affected by an unfavourable regional mix.

For the first half, silica sales stood at €260 million, down 6.5% from €278 million in the same period of 2025. 

Second quarter figures, however, reflected an improvement from the first three months of the year, when silica sales fell 10% year-on-year to €129 million.

At the time, Solvay attributed the decline mainly to lower tire volumes compared with a strong first-quarter 2025 base.

Silica forms part of Solvay's Performance Chemicals segment, which recorded second-quarter sales of €409 million, down 5.7% year-on-year.

Segment earnings (EBITDA) declined 24.3% to €78 million, due mainly a €20-million one-off gain recorded in the prior-year period and a lag in price indexation in its silica business.