Solutia to expand Saflex manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts, Belgium

05/07/2008- Boston Business Journal

Solutia Inc. said Tuesday its Saflex unit is expanding its polyvinyl butyral (PVB) resin manufacturing facilities in Antwerp, Belgium, and in Springfield, Mass., due to a tight supply and growing demand on a global scale for PVB resin and sheet.

The Antwerp facility will add 15,000 metric tons of capacity per year and is planned to come on-stream in 2010. The Springfield facility will add 12,000 metric tons of production in early 2009.

PVB resin is the key raw material used in making PVB sheet, which the company markets under the Saflex brand name.

The Antwerp plant will feed the new Saflex PVB sheet extrusion line in Ghent, Belgium, which will start up later in 2008 and will eventually create 40 million square meters of new capacity.

St. Louis-based Solutia Inc. (NYSE: SOA) develops specialty chemicals, fibers, fluids and other performance products.