Solvay's Changshu PVDF expansion project reaches production ahead of schedule

Solvay announced that since the start of production in mid-May 2022, production of the high-performance polymer Solef polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) at the company's Changshu site has more than doubled, ahead of schedule.

With the early completion of the project, Solvay will further strengthen its leading position in the global lithium-ion battery market. The increase in PVDF production capacity in China this time has once again demonstrated Solvay's firm determination to ensure the supply of materials to customers around the world. In addition, Solvay recently announced that it will invest heavily in the production of Solef PVDF at its plant in Tavo, France, making it the largest PVDF production site in Europe.

According to Solvay, with the rapid development of pure electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, the market demand for PVDF has repeatedly hit new heights. The increase in PVDF production capacity in Changzhou, Jiangsu can meet the growing demand for electric vehicle batteries. This thermoplastic fluoropolymer is used as a binder and separator coating in lithium-ion batteries, and it is critical for enhancing battery performance, extending battery life, and improving battery safety.

Francescantonio Azzariti, Global Head of Sales, Solvay’s Battery Materials Platform, said: “The demand for lithium-ion batteries is growing rapidly. Both the environmental benefits of the shift to cleaner mobility and the business opportunities these new technologies offer We benefit greatly.” Solvay’s PVDF expansion plan is a vivid manifestation of its Solvay One Planet Sustainable Development Goals and its G.R.O.W. strategy.

Solvay's Solef PVDF has been recognized by the World Energy Conservation Technology Alliance as a sustainable and profitable solution and is an important component material for the world's first solar-powered aircraft to circumnavigate the world, "Solar Impulse".