20 Feb 2008
Rhodia creates a company to commission and manage its new Silica plant in China
Lyon, France, 20 February 2008 – Rhodia announces the formation of a new company to manage the construction and subsequent operation of its planned silica facility in China. Details of this major new plant, dedicated to the production of high performance precipitated silica in China, were previously released last November in Shanghai.
Located in the city of Qingdao - where the group already operates a silica plant – this new legal entity is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rhodia. To be known as RSQC (Rhodia Silica Qingdao Chengyang), the company will have an initial share capital of approximately euro 16 million.
“With this announcement, I am pleased to be able to confirm the start of the construction of this major addition to our global production network,” commented Eric Noyrez, President of Rhodia Silcea, at Tire Technology Expo in Köln, Germany.
The start-up of this world-scale plant is scheduled for July 2009. It will focus on producing highly dispersible silica for the rapidly growing energy-efficient tyre market and will be built using a modular design to enable its easy expansion.
A number of Rhodia’s major customers are supporting the project. Rhodia already operates seven precipitated silica plants around the world. These are located in France, Italy, Venezuela, Brazil, Korea, China and the USA.
Reader enquiries
Rhodia Silcea
55 avenue rené Cassin
69009 LYON
France
Notes for editors
Silcea is Rhodia's fine inorganic chemistry enterprise and the global leader in rare earth-based materials and high performance silica. Rhodia Silcea supplies major players focused on sustainable mobility with a complete range of materials for exhaust emissions control. On the electronics market, Silcea is the specialist for phosphors used in low-energy lamps, LCD and plasma flat screens. Inventor of highly dispersible silica, which in particular reduces fuel consumption, Rhodia Silcea is a key partner for the tire industry, as well as the elastomer, feed and food industries.
Rhodia is an international chemical company resolutely committed to sustainable development. Leader in its businesses, the Group aims to improve its customers' performance through the pursuit of operational excellence and its ability to innovate. Structured around seven Enterprises, Rhodia is the partner of major players in the automotive, tire, electronics, perfume, health and beauty and home care markets. The Group employs around 16,000 people worldwide and generated sales of €4.8 billion in 2006. Rhodia is listed on Euronext Paris.
Present in China for more than 30 years, Rhodia's operations in the country have grown very rapidly over the last ten years and today employ 2,300 people. Rhodia’s activities in China generate around 400 million euros.
Editorial enquiries
Jérôme Pisani
Rhodia Silcea
Alan Flower
EMG