Solvay in Fluoropolymers JV With Shanghai Producer

Belgian chemical group Solvay has licensed its technology for fluorinated polymers to China's Shanghai 3F New Material Co. as part of an 80:20 joint venture agreement covering supply of high-performance fluorinated polymers to the Asian market.

Shanghai 3F New Material Co. will have the 80% majority in the joint company and will contribute production facilities for the monomer and polymers. It will supply Solvay's adjacent specialty polymers production unit for the strategic raw materials 142b and HFP, enriching the fluoropolymer mix for applications in automotive, photovoltaics, Li-ion batteries, membranes and oil & gas applications.

Production facilities of both companies are currently under construction at Changsu, China. The joint venture's TFE/PTFE plant is due to be completed in Q1 2014. Solvay's new fluoropolymer plant is due to be completed in stages up to the end of 2015.