Solvay Plans Expansion of Hydroquinone Output in Europe

French specialty chemicals and advanced materials maker Solvay announced an initiative on Tuesday to increase its capacity for hydroquinone at its plant in Saint-Fons, France by 20% this year, according to a company press release. 

Slated to become operational by the second quarter of this year, the capacity expansion will be accomplished by debottlenecking an existing unit. The company said it invested in the effort in response to rising demand in the monomer industry for diphenol inhibitors that can be used as additives.

“Solvay is committed to serve its customers’ long-term growing needs in all major regions and this new capacity increase in Europe will allow [us] to continue to reliably supply our full range of monomer inhibitors.” Peter Browning, president of the firm’s Aroma Performance GBU, said in a statement. 

The plan for the Saint-Fons site comes on the heels of another hydroquinone capacity expansion project at Solvay’s plant in Zhenjiang, China. Solvay operates three inhibitor production plants in Europe, North America, and Asia. 

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