Solvay will invest 15 million (U.S. $21.6 million) to increase output of specialty perfluoropolyethers in Italy by the end of 2012, and Chemtura began engineering work to produce high-viscosity polyalphaolefin in the Netherlands by 2013.
Chemtura will produce its Synton 40 and Synton 100 high-viscosity PAO brands at its facility in Ankerweg, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Chemtura is increasing capacity and establishing a European manufacturing capability for HVPAO in order to meet the increasing global demand for these products and locate production capacity in a region of significant demand growth, said Sean OConnor, president and general manager of Chemturas Petroleum Additives business.
The high-viscosity PAO products are used as high-performance base stocks and viscosity improvers in synthetic lubricant formulations such as gear oils and engine oils. Earlier in 2011, Chemtura announced expanded production capacity for the same 40 and 100 grades at its Elmira, Ontario facility.
Solvays expansion at its Spinetta Marengo, Italy, plant involves new equipment rather than debottlenecking, Solvay spokesman Erik De Leye told Lube Report. We consider debottlenecking a normal and good practice, which does not warrant an announcement, De Leye noted.
Brussels, Belgium-based Solvay said the capacity increase involves two PFPE products. The Fomblin-Y product family is mainly used for industrial lubrication in high temperature bearings and chains, lubrication of vacuum pumps in the semiconductor industry and automotive end-uses such as bearings, valves and electrical contacts. The Galden product is largely used as a heat transfer fluid in semiconductor processing equipment and as a testing fluid for finished electronic components.
The two product families are seeing growth in demand globally. Our plant in Italy is part of our global business unit Specialty Polymers and as such is a global production center, De Leye said.