Solutia Increases Capacity, Upgrades Plants to Support Growth In 2001 and Beyond
Solutia Inc. (NYSE: SOI) announced several new plant manufacturing expansions and quality improvements which will help strengthen the Performance Films business unit. The St. Louis-based chemical company's investments will help meet growing market demand for its Saflex polyvinyl butyral (PVB) product line.
"Solutia is committed to serving the anticipated growth in both the architectural and automotive markets," according to Vicki Holt, vice president and general manager, Performance Films at Solutia. "We are aggressively preparing ourselves to meet these increased demands, and our commitment is to deliver the best value in PVB in the marketplace to our customers. By providing laminators with the highest quality product available, they can create superior glazing products designed to help protect people and property -- whether it is in the home, automobile or workplace."
Several projects to upgrade Solutia's Saflex plant in San Jose dos Campos, Brazil, came on-line at year-end. "The installation will improve the quality of Saflex produced in Brazil as well as increase the plant's reliability," says Holt. "Solutia is committed to investing in process and systems to bring high quality Saflex products reliably to our strategic Brazilian customers."
At the company's Indian Orchard plant in Springfield, Massachusetts, the company will increase its capacity to produce its Saflex gradient automotive product lines. The new expansion, which will start up in early 2002, will provide the capacity needed to meet the growing global demand for windscreens with a shaded band. The shade band in windscreens improves passenger comfort by blocking high noon sun.
The Indian Orchard plant also will significantly increase its capacity to produce Saflex SV PVB. Saflex SV is specially formulated for the vacuum bag and ring lamination processes. In these processes, Saflex SV results in improved yield, lower cost and higher quality laminated glass for vehicles.
Together these increases will enable Solutia to increase its worldwide production capacity by approximately 20 percent over the next five years to meet demand for Saflex in automotive and architectural applications
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