Solvay to increase its annual production capacity of natural soda ash in US by 150,000 metric tons

Brussels, Belgium, 4-2-2014 — /EuropaWire/ — Solvay plans to increase its annual production capacity of natural soda ash at its Green River plant in Wyoming by 150,000 metric tons as of early next year, to meet growing demand of its U.S. export markets.

“This capacity expansion is an important step in Solvay’s three-year action plan to reinforce its global leadership in soda ash by addressing different regional market dynamics. In line with the plan, announced last June, the Group is gradually expanding its U.S. production capacity by about 12 percent,” said Christophe Clemente, President of Solvay’s Soda Ash & Derivatives global business unit.

Construction works have already begun to expand production capacity at Solvay’s Green River trona mine from more than 2 million metric tons a year currently. Green River’s best-in-class industrial mining assets produce natural soda, used in glass manufacturing, from the trona mineral. Green River is Solvay’s largest U.S. production site, with more than 400 employees.

Solvay Soda Ash and Derivatives is a world leader in its sector, with soda ash serving the glass, detergent and chemical markets and with sodium bicarbonate and trona serving the food, animal feed, flue gas cleaning and healthcare markets. The unit has 12 industrial sites worldwide, more than 4,000 employees and serves 90 countries.

As an international chemical group, SOLVAY assists industries in finding and implementing ever more responsible and value-creating solutions. The Group is firmly committed to sustainable development and focused on innovation and operational excellence. Solvay serves diversified markets, generating 90% of its turnover in activities where it is one of the top three worldwide. The group is headquartered in Brussels, employs about 29,000 people in 55 countries and generated 12.4 billion euros in net sales in 2012. Solvay SA is listed as SOLB.BE on NYSE Euronext in Brussels and Paris (Bloomberg: SOLB:BB – Reuters: SOLB.BR).

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Solvay to increase its annual production capacity of natural soda ash in US by 150,000 metric tons