Crain News Service report
ESSEN, Germany (May 15, 2013) — Evonik Industries A.G. is planning to build a precipitated silica plant in Brazil with production to begin by 2015.
The planned facility in Americana—with investment "in the middle double-digit million-euro range," according to Evonik—would be the company's first silica site in South America.
Evonik Ultrasil silica is used in energy-saving tires with low rolling resistance, while its Sipernat brand is used in paints, coatings, foods and animal feeds.
Thomas Haeberle, Evonik executive board member, said that with the company's expansion course, "we aim to accompany the growth of our global key customers, particularly in the tire industry. Evonik expects additional silica demand due to a planned labeling mandate for fuel-saving tires in Brazil."
Last November Evonik said it intended to boost its silica capacity [LINK: http://www.tirebusiness.com/article/20121121/NEWS/121129967/evonik-to-increase-silica-capacity] by 30 percent globally by 2014 to serve its tire industry customers.
This report appeared on the website of European Rubber Journal, a UK-based sister publication of Tire Business.
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