SolVin http://www.solvinpvc.com/
SolVin was set up in 1999,
when Solvay and BASF joined their competencies in the
Vinyls sector, and started its operations in August. Solvay holds 75% and
BASF 25% of SolVin. The
synergies achieved in know-how, organisation and cost
efficiency, the complementary of product ranges as well as
upstream integration have built up SolVin as a leader on the
PVC and PVDC markets.
Already on January 1, 2000, SolVin and Atofina established a
production joint venture in Fos and Berre, France, by taking
over the Vinyls activities of Shell. SolVin has a 21% share of the VCM
unit in Fos and 35% of the PVC plant in Berre",
indicated Nicolas-Paul Neu, Managing Director of SolVin.
The year 2001 was the year of restructuring for SolVin, which
saw the closure of the PVC-plant in Zandvliet, Belgium, in
April and the transfer of products to other sites by reducing
the overall PVC capacity. "With this move we clearly
improved our cost structure and competitiveness", said
Harald Schwager, Managing Director of SolVin.
On January 1, 2002, SolVin integrated the polyvinyl
chloride production activities located in Martorell, Spain,
which had previously been owned by Solvay. These activities comprise a 65% share
of the PVC and VCM production joint venture operated with
Atofina, whose 35% stake will remain unaffected. Related
activities previously controlled by Solvay, including
Martorell's electrolysis unit, were also transferred to
SolVin. The production joint venture in Martorell with
Atofina was launched in February 1999, with the aim of
creating a large integrated plant, which maximises
competitiveness. The ownership structure of SolVin was not
modified by the transaction. Following this transfer of
ownership, the picture is now clear and complete: all of
Solvay and BASF group's PVC and PVDC activities in Europe are
housed within SolVin.
SolVin is now the biggest integrated player from chlorine via
EDC, VCM to PVC and via VDC to PVDC in Europe having
operations in Belgium, France, Germany, Spain and Italy with
an annual capacity of 1.3 million tonnes of PVC and 35 kt of
PVDC. SolVin generated consolidated sales exceeding 1 billion
euros with 2,300 employees.
In Ferrare, Italy, SolVin founded together with Vulcaflex,
Adriaplast and Technometal a joint venture for the recycling
of PVC wastes utilising the Vinyloop-process developed by Solvay. With this
investment SolVin furtermore proves its long-term commitment
to PVC supporting SolVin's Vision which is based on the four
axes
Belgium
ZANDVLIET - ANTWERPEN
Products
:Cl2, EDC
JEMEPPE-SUR-SAMBRE
Products
:Cl2, VCM, PVC-S
France
SolVin FRANCE S.A. -
TAVAUX
Products
:VCM, VDC, PVC-S, PVC-E, PVDC
VINYLBERRE S.A.S. - BERRE L'ETANG c/o Shell Chimie BP 14
Products
:VCM, PVC-S
German
SolVin GmbH und Co KG -
LUDWIGSHAFEN c/o
BASF AG to be shut down
Products
:VCM, VDC, PVC-S, PVC-E, PVDC
SolVin GmbH und Co KG - RHEINBERG Ludwigstrasse
Products : VCM, PVC-S, PVC-E
Spain
VINILIS, S.A.
Products
:VCM - PVC-S
HISPAVIC IBERICA, S.L.
Comercializacion
Resinas de PVC
VINYTHAI PVC Resins Asia
Solvay Indupa PVC Resins
South-America
VINYLOOP PVC composite recycling
(February 25, 2002 発表）
Breakthrough in recycling PVC
composite waste:
Start-up of first industrial unit using the VINYLOOP(R) process,
in Ferrara (Italy)
The first industrial unit to use the Vinyloop process started
operating this month. It is at Solvay's Ferrara site, and will be
able to regenerate PVC from at least 10,000 tonnes a year of
waste plastic material.
The unit is operated by Vinyloop Ferrara SpA, a joint venture of
four companies: SolVin Italia, Adriaplast, Tecnometal and
Vulcaflex(1) . It cost 10.6 million euros in total, and received
financial support from Vinyl 2010, the European PVC industry's
Voluntary Commitment (2).
The waste materials processed will primarily be PVC insulation
material from electric cables, and at least 80% of this will be
waste from post-consumer materials.
The Vinyloop process was developed by Solvay's Research and
Development center in Brussels, and was patented in 1998. Studies
for the Ferrara project began in September 2000, and construction
started on the site of Solvin Italia's old PVC production plant
in March 2001. The investment project thus also demonstrates
Solvay's active involvement in transforming and restoring one of
its sites whose original industrial function has ceased.
The first batches of recycled PVC were produced on 4 February
2002, and investigations will be made in the coming months to see
whether there is scope for improvements in the way the
installation operates.
Waste insulating material from cables is often a mixture of PVC,
rubber and polyethylene. To produce optimal yields from the
recycling, there are plans for a line to pre-treat the waste,
starting in April 2002. This will use the Tricare process, which
was developed by Solvay as part of a European research program
and makes it possible to attain a PVC content of 85% from the
waste material.
The life cycle assessment for PVC applications has been greatly
improved by this new ability to recycle composite waste
materials, and the start-up of this first unit demonstrates the
will of Solvay and its partner firms to make practical progress
in their pursuit of sustainable development. Such an initiative
is only valid, however, if the process is cost-effective. In
fact, the quality of the PVC regenerated in the VinyloopR process
makes possible a selling price which is a high percentage of that
for a virgin compound. This will assist Vinyloop Ferrara SpA in
quickly reaching breakeven.
The second Vinyloop industrial unit will especially designed to
recycle PVC-coated tarpaulins and fabrics produced by Ferrari
Textiles (France), a company that has played a leading part from
the beginning in the development of Vinyloop. This unit should
start operating in 2004, and there are half a dozen other
projects being studied elsewhere in Europe, Canada and Japan.
SOLVAY is an international chemicals and pharmaceuticals group
with headquarters in Brussels. It employs about 32,000 people in
50 countries. In 2000 its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 8.9
billion generated by its four activity sectors: Chemicals,
Plastics, Processing and Pharmaceuticals. Solvay is listed in the
Euronext 100 index of top European companies. Details are
available at www.solvay.com.
(1) SolVin Italia is one of the participants in the Solvin joint
venture (75% Solvay, 25% BASF), which is one of the main PVC
producers in Europe. Adriaplast SpA is a subsidiary of the Solvay
group that produces industrial films for the pharmaceutical
sector, food packaging and applications such as credit cards.
Tecnometal Srl has a leading position in Europe as a company
specializing in the recycling of electricity and telephone
cables. Vulcaflex SpA is a European leader in PVC coating and
calendering for a variety of applications from motor vehicle
components to packaging, furniture and footware.
(2)Vinyl 2010, the European PVC industry's Voluntary Commitment,
is a joint initiative of Europe's manufacturing federations for
PVC (ECVM), plasticizers (ECPI) and stabilizers (ESPA), and the
plastics converters' federation (EuPC).
(平成13年3月30日 Mr. Crucifix: Solvay社のVinyloop
Project Leader）
プロセスの概要と特長
スクラップから溶剤によりPVCを抽出し、パウダー状の製品（PVCコンパウンド）を再生するプロセス。
単に溶剤によりPVCを抽出するプロセスは、米国で20年以上前に開発されており、うまく行っていない。本プロセスは、溶剤をスチーム吹き込みにより追い出し、パウダー状の製品を沈殿分離するところに大きな特徴がある。
最初に1μの粒子が析出し、そのまわりにAdditiveがとりつく。やがて合一し300〜500ミクロンの粒子になる。
原料（スクラップ）が他の素材との複合体である場合に強みを発揮する。
再生製品は、粒子径分布（コントロール可能）が非常にシャープな粒状であり、そのまま成形可能である。
グラフでは、355μにピークがある。微粉はない。150μにできないか検討中と。
コンパウンド組成は、沈殿工程にAdditiveを追加することで調整可能。
色物には不向き。（単色であれば可）
2003/5/28 Solvin
SolVin to secure
production in larger world-class plants
Vinyls
Activities will be Discontinued in Ludwigshafen
SolVin announced its
decision to shut down its vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) operations in Ludwigshafen, Germany, on
January 1, 2006 - as these operations are not run in world-scale
plants.
(Note: VCM 110,000t,
PVC 150,000t)
Since this
rationalization has been carefully planned, BASF, the operator of
the plants, is confident that it will be able to secure new
positions for the 167 workers concerned.
The reduced
capacities will be partly rebuilt in other SolVin production
sites, in an effort to further enhance the company's plants as
larger, highly competitive, world scale operations. One or more
sites will be selected to accommodate this capacity on the basis
of their intrinsic competitiveness.
"Concentrating
vinyls production in very large capacity, state-of-the-art,
well-balanced plants has a doubly positive effect", said
Nicolas-Paul Neu, Managing Director of SolVin. "We are
enhancing our leadership through our improved competitiveness and
securing our activities," he said.
The transfer of the
production will be achieved without disturbing the delivery of
different product grades to the market. This reorganization is
aimed at ensuring long term partnership and excellent services
for SolVin's customers.
SolVin was set up in
1999, when Solvay and BASF joined their competences in the vinyls
sector. Solvay owns 75% of SolVin and BASF the remaining 25%. The
synergies achieved in know-how and organization, the
complementarity of product ranges as well as upstream integration
have built up SolVin as a leader on the PVC and PVDC markets. The
joint venture has operations in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and
the Benelux countries and a total capacity of some 1.3 million
tonnes of PVC. SolVin generated consolidated sales of EUR 1.1
billion in 2002, with 2,100 employees. More details are available
at http://www.solvinpvc.com
2006/5/11 Solvay
SolVin invests EUR 50 million to concentrate vinyl production on
global size plants, optimizes logistics & product range
http://www.solvaypress.com/pressreleases/0,,42491-2-0,00.htm
Competitiveness enhanced
with larger capacities, innovative products
Solvay announces today that its vinyls joint venture in Europe,
SolVin, has invested nearly EUR 50 million to redeploy its
manufacturing activity on a limited number of sites whose
production capacity will exceed 300,000 metric tons per annum
each. This initiative follows the closing of SolVin’s vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plants in Ludwigshafen, Germany, which ceased to operate
on January 1, 2006 without causing any forced redundancies.
SolVin has been transferring operations previously carried out in
Ludwigshafen to its sites of Martorell
(Spain), Jemeppe-sur-Sambre (Belgium) and Rheinberg (Germany). SolVin ensured seamless supply of
its customers during the transfer operations. It is now in a
position to offer optimal logistic solutions as well as security
of supply from its three plants, which are ideally spread
throughout Europe.
The redeployment involved the implementation of more competitive
production technologies using, among other factors, larger
autoclave units and various process improvements. After the
extensions which are scheduled to be completed in 2006, the
average production capacity of SolVin vinyl plants will be 30%
higher than the sector’s average in Europe, while their
raw material integration will be very well balanced.
SolVin has also innovated in close co-operation with major
customers to develop new vinyl resins with enhanced properties
which fulfill the requirements of a larger variety of
applications. The company has consequently rationalized
production and is now focusing its expertise on the manufacturing
of carefully selected grades.
SolVin combines the competences of Solvay and BASF in the
European vinyls sector. The synergies achieved in know-how and
organization, the complementarities of product ranges as well as
upstream integration have built up SolVin as a leader on the PVC
and PVDC markets. The joint venture has operations in France,
Germany, Spain and the Benelux countries and a total annual
production capacity of 1.3 million tons of PVC, with nearly 2000
employees. Solvay owns 75% of SolVin and
BASF, the remaining 25%.
SOLVAY is an international chemical and pharmaceutical Group with
headquarters in Brussels. It employs some 30,000 people in 50
countries. In 2005 its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 8.6
billion generated by its three activity sectors: Chemicals,
Plastics and Pharmaceuticals. SOLVAY is listed on the Euronext
100 index of top European companies. Details are available at
www.solvay.com.
Platts 2006/6/12
Solvin inaugurates 80,000 mt/year PVC production line in Germany
Belgium-based PVC producer Solvin has inaugurated a new 80,000
mt/year PVC production line at Rheinberg, Germany, a spokesman
for the joint venture said. The company is a 75:25 joint venture
of Solvay and Germany's BASF.
The new line cost about Eur26 million ($32.8 million) to build. A
large share of output from the expanded facility is to be shipped
to the growth regions of central and eastern Europe, where market
volume has increased by 8% since 2000 and now totals more than 1
million mt/year, Solvin said. Up to 2010, Solvin expected growth
to continue around this 8% rate.
2007/3/30 Solvay
SolVin considers new PVDC latex production unit
Serving Growing demand for barrier
material
SolVin, a joint venture between Solvay and BASF, announces today
that it is planning to build a second production unit of Polyvinylidene
chloride (PVDC) latex
in response to growing global demand. PVDC latex is a specialty
barrier material used as coating in packaging applications where
the integrity of the goods is critical - essentially in the food
and pharmaceutical sectors.
SolVin currently serves PVDC latex clients out of its production
unit in Tavaux (France). SolVin is now considering the creation
of a new unit with an annual production capacity of 10,000 tonnes, to be located possibly in Asia -
for instance on Solvay’s site in Map Tha Put, Thailand.
SolVin is expecting to make a decision by the third quarter of
2007 and to start construction work subsequently.
“The
unique properties of polyvinylidene chloride latex, which SolVin
markets under the Diofan(R) brand name, make it the preferred
choice of the food and pharma industry to match the highest
barrier requirements,” observed Vincenzo Morici, General
Manager of the Specialty Polymers Strategic Business Unit,
Solvay. “SolVin intends to uphold its
commercial and technological leadership as well as its global
reputation of excellence for this class of products. We will be
in a position to continue serving our clients’
expansion, while
feeding Solvay’s strategy of sustainable and
profitable growth in the Specialty Polymers business,”
Morici added;
SolVin is a joint venture of which Solvay owns 75%
and BASF, 25%.
It is a leader on the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) market in Europe
and on the PVDC market worldwide.
SOLVAY is an international chemical and pharmaceutical Group with
headquarters in Brussels. It employs some 29,000 people in 50
countries. In 2006, its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 9.4
billion, generated by its three sectors of activity: Chemicals,
Plastics and Pharmaceuticals. Solvay (Euronext : SOLB.BE -
Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLBt.BR) is listed on the Euronext
stock exchange in Brussels. Details are available at
www.solvay.com
Notes to the Editors:
The unique set of properties of polyvinylidene chloride with
combined water vapor and oxygen barrier properties, impressive
barrier to oils, greases, chemicals, and to other gases and
odors, transparency and printability, excellent thermoforming
performance and machinability makes it effective in protecting
foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals. These properties allow processors
to limit the volume of material needed to manufacture safe and
effective packaging.
2007/7/24 Solvin
SOLVIN moves to reap sustainable benefits from dynamic vinyls
market
Focus on highly competitive production units
SolVin, the European vinyls joint venture of Solvay and BASF,
announces today that it is planning to expand the capacity of its
plant in Jemeppe (Belgium), as part of a strategy to derive
sustainable and profitable growth from dynamic global vinyls
markets. Pending relevant regulatory clearance, annual capacity in
Jemeppe will be lifted to 475,000 metric tons of fully integrated
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) by 2009, up from 400.000 metric tons
today. SolVin
has already successfully reorganized its operations in Europe;
the closing of its Ludwigshafen plant in 2006 was one of the
major steps in this process.
The global market for vinyls has grown by more than 6% annually
in recent years and is expanding by nearly 15% per annum in
Eastern Europe or China. Vinyl is the preferred polymer for a
number of construction, infrastructure and utilities applications
which partially explains its success in the world’s most dynamic economies.
In the European Union (EU 27), the market has expanded
significantly, with 600,000 tons in additional PVC consumption to
date, compared with 2005. This was made possible by the
competitiveness of vinyl products in the context of structurally
high oil prices.
Following a detailed assessment by the industry and independent
bodies, Vinyl is recognized as a major contributor to sustainable
products, on the basis of its moderate content of petroleum-based
raw materials, its insulation, fire protection and energy-saving
properties and its recyclability - thanks, in particular, to the
Vinyloop(R) technology developed by Solvay.
In China, authorities are tempering existing and planned vinyl
production capacities, due to growing environmental concerns over
the acetylene-based production process which is operated there.
By contrast, the ethylene-based technology implemented by SolVin
consumes 50% less energy, with a considerably reduced
environmental impact.
“The
vinyls market has changed drastically in recent years,”
commented
Jean-Pierre Pleska, General Manager of the Strategic Business
Unit Vinyls, Solvay. “The robust growth of the vinyl
market offers significant business opportunities. Solvay ‘s vinyls subsidiaries - SolVin in
Europe including Russia, Solvay Indupa in Mercosur and Vinythai
in South-East Asia - are in the best position to grasp these
opportunities, with top quality products, highly competitive
production units and state-of-the-art technologies, which
comprise full recycling,” added Jean-Pierre Pleska.
SolVin combines the competences of Solvay and BASF in the
European vinyls sector. The synergies achieved in know-how and
organization, the complementarities of product ranges as well as
upstream integration have built up SolVin as a leader on the PVC
and PVDC markets. The joint venture has operations in France,
Germany, Spain and the Benelux countries and a total annual
production capacity of 1.3 million tons of PVC, with nearly 2000
employees. Solvay owns 75% of SolVin and BASF, 25%. For further
information, visit www.solvinpvc.com.
BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The
Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics,
performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals to
crude oil and natural gas. BASF has approximately 95,000
employees and posted sales of ?52.6 billion in 2006. BASF shares
are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London
(BFA), New York (BF) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF
is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.
SOLVAY is an international chemical and pharmaceutical Group with
headquarters in Brussels. It employs some 29,000 people in 50
countries. In 2006, its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 9.4
billion, generated by its three sectors of activity: Chemicals,
Plastics and Pharmaceuticals. Solvay (Euronext : SOLB.BE -
Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLBt.BR) is listed on the Euronext
stock exchange in Brussels. Details are available at
www.solvay.com