Solvay to build nylon compounding unit in Mexico with Chunil

Materials maker Solvay is building a Technyl polyamide compounding unit in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, with initial annual capacity of 10 kilotonnes/year. This new facility is expected to become operational in the third quarter of 2017 to serve the region’s and America’s growing automotive and consumer goods markets.

Mexico is the second largest producer of automobiles and commercial vehicles in the Americas and is ranked seventh worldwide with annual production exceeding 3.5 million units in 20151. In addition, many consumer goods and electrical equipment players are located close by, offering new opportunities for Solvay.

“This new plant will help us to support our fast growing Technyl® polyamide business in North America, in addition to our current capabilities,” states Vincent Kamel, President of Solvay Performance Polyamides. “Many of the world’s top automotive OEMs are located in the region, which makes it an ideal base for us to serve both local and US markets and contribute with our solutions to cleaner mobility.”

To minimise investment cost and time to market, Solvay is partnering with Chunil Engineering, one of its major customers. Solvay is planning additional investments to serve the NAFTA2 market.

“Our collaboration with Chunil Engineering - a global automotive tier 1 - enables us to optimise the site’s infrastructure including the use of power, water and waste treatment,” explains Peter Browning, General Manager of Solvay’s Engineering Plastics Business Unit. “As our business develops we will expand this modular 10KT unit’s capacity to meet the rapidly growing needs of our customers in the region.”