BRUSSELS, Belgium—Solvay S.A. plans to build a $95 million plant in central Poland for highly dispersible silica, a key ingredient in rubber compounds for low rolling-resistance tires.
Solvay said it chose a site near Wloclawek, Poland, for the plant because it offers logistical benefits to customers in Eastern Europe and Russia. The plant should be on stream by the third quarter of 2014 with 85,000 metric tons of annual capacity.
Solvay Silica President Tom Benner said European tire labeling regulations have led to greater demand for more fuel-efficient tires, which has resulted in a four-fold increase in order s for the firm's Zeosil Premium silica.