Solvay expanding Italian site to produce rice-based silica

Brussels – Solvay SA is investing an undisclosed amount at its site in Livorno, Italy to produce highly dispersible silica (HDS) made from rice-husk-ash-based sodium silicate.

The facility will employ a “breakthrough silicate process” coupled with renewable energy integration to achieve a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions per tonne of silica, Solvay announced 17 Jan.

“This will make the Livorno site Europe’s best-in-class [industrial site for] silica production in terms of CO2 footprint,” stated the Brussels-based chemicals group.

Solvay expects to start production at the facility by the end of 2024, with the aim of “gradually replacing” its existing Zeosil HDS for rubber reinforcement with the bio-based alternative.

The rice-husk-derived silica, it said, will provide “a circular solution for tires” and reduce the tire & rubber industry’s CO2 footprint.

With the investment in Italy, Solvay claims to be the first company to commit to circular HDS production at a European site "within a concrete timeframe”.

The group now aims to build “the necessary ecosystem” to bring the product to market, adding that German tire major Continental has been “a key partner in this journey.”

“Silica is essential for the high performance of our tires,” said Claus Petschick, head of sustainability at Continental Tires – commenting in the Solvay release.

Solvay’s bio-circular silica, Petschick went on to say, “reduces the overall carbon footprint and increases the share of renewable materials in our tires.”

Solvay added that it also plans to build a new plant in North America over the coming years to expand its HDS capacity.

The facility, which will increase the group’s footprint in the region significantly, will be designed for circular raw materials, said Solvay, which is also investigating projects on circular HDS in Asia and South America.

“The launch of our circular HDS in Europe is just the first step in a longer-term project that will enable us to offer a circular solution to tire manufacturers,” concluded Ilham Kadri, CEO of Solvay.