By: ICN Bureau
Last updated : February 16, 2022 12:21 pm
The €300 million investment supports a fully integrated and digitalized PVDF operation and will increase capacity at Solvay's site in Tavaux, France to 35 kilotons
Solvay is further extending its existing leadership position in the global lithium-ion battery market by expanding its production capacity of high-performance polymer Solef polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) at its site in Tavaux, France.
Building on its previously announced PVDF capacity increase at its site in Changshu, China, this new project will expand its capacity in Europe to 35 kilotons, creating the largest PVDF production site in the region. This investment will be completed by December 2023 and reinforces Solvay’s global leadership in this field, positioning it to capitalize on the growing demand for electric and hybrid vehicles.
The rapid growth of electric and hybrid vehicles is driving unprecedented demand for PVDF, a thermoplastic fluoropolymer used both as a binder and a separator coating in lithium-ion batteries which is essential for the creation of safer and longer-range performance.
With the transformation to electrification expected to accelerate in the next decade, Solvay is on track to double its addressable market value per vehicle. As a result, Solvay expects to grow its Materials business sales to the automotive market from approximately €800 million in 2021 to more than €2.5 billion by 2030.
“Demand for electric vehicles is undergoing massive growth," explained Michael Finelli, President of Solvay's global growth platforms.
"We are capitalizing on this powerful megatrend through a relentless focus on innovation that is generating new technologies for our customers and positioning Solvay as an unparalleled leader in this field. We are inspired both by the environmental benefits as we transition to cleaner mobility and by the commercial opportunities these new technologies offer. Solvay has a long history of innovation in PVDF technologies and we are extending our leadership through this significant investment in Tavaux. This investment further demonstrates our deep commitment to our customers and is aligned to our own long-term growth strategy and our Solvay One Planet sustainability ambitions."