Solvay announces the startup of SolVin’s new production capacity for Diofan® PVDC latex at its Tavaux plant
SolVin, a joint venture of Solvay and BASF, announces today the successful startup of new production capacity for DIOFAN® polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) latex at its Tavaux (France) plant. DIOFAN® PVDC latex is a versatile, specialty barrier material. Key applications include coatings on high-value packaging films and papers where the integrity of the goods is critical, especially in the food and pharmaceutical industries. It also finds use as a binder in the production of water-based paints with exceptional corrosion resistance and moisture barrier.
The new production line boosts SolVin’s annual PVDC capacity by approximately 20,000 metric tons. Originally targeted to startup in mid-2009, construction was completed ahead of schedule and the first runs occurred in the last week of January. Initial samples from the new line will be available to customers for evaluation in March and April. This allows SolVin to provide an adequate response to the demand from the dynamic barrier packaging market.
The new production line in Tavaux benefits from the full upstream integration of raw materials and from the expertise of the manufacturing staff who have developed this operation to the global standard in terms of PVDC product quality and consistency. The new line is physically separated from the other PVDC production lines, providing important backup to current assets.
“The unique properties of polyvinylidene chloride latex, which SolVin markets under the Diofan® brand name, make it the preferred choice of the food and pharma industry to match the highest barrier requirements,” observed Vincenzo Morici, General Manager of the Specialty Polymers Strategic Business Unit, Solvay. “With this new production capacity SolVin is upholding its commercial and technological leadership as well as its global reputation of excellence for this class of products. And it can continue serving its customers’ expansion, while feeding Solvay’s strategy of sustainable and profitable growth in the Specialty Polymers business,” Morici added.
