Belgian chemical firm Solvay has kick started the year with a new organisation structure, having integrated French polyamides maker Rhodia, which it acquired in 2011, into its Functional Polymers unit, along with its chloro-vinyls business.

Its speciality polymers business is now in the Advanced Materials segment. These polymers include fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorinated fluids, semi-aromatic polyamides, sulphone polymers, aromatic ultra-polymers, high-barrier polymers and cross-linkable high-performance compounds, including silica, rare earths and special chemicals. These materials are targeted at applications in advanced transportation, healthcare, energy-efficient tyres, automotive emission control, smart devices and hybrid vehicle batteries. The other operating segments are Consumer Chemicals, Performance Chemicals and Corporate Business and Services.

The firm says it has managed to convert the two former companies into one of the ten largest chemical companies worldwide.