Solvay launches bio-circular silica in Europe, plans for North America

Solvay is investing at its Livorno site in Italy to launch the company’s first circular highly dispersible silica (HDS), a product made with bio-based sodium silicate derived from rice husk ash. Production is expected to begin by the end of 2024 and the Group will gradually replace its existing Zeosil portfolio with circular HDS, enabling tyre makers to increase the proportion of sustainable raw materials in their products while reducing CO2 footprint.

This new silicate process provides a circular solution as it gives a second life to rice husk in a local value chain. Coupled with renewable energy integration at the Livorno plant, it will allow Solvay to achieve a 50 per cent reduction in CO2 per tonne of silica. Solvay anticipates that the Livorno facility will thus become “Europe’s best in class silica production site in terms of CO2 footprint.”

In addition to application within tyre manufacture, Solvay says this new generation of precipitated silica will also address the needs of the home & personal care and the feed & food industries.

Working with stakeholders across value chain

Solvay claims the distinction of being the “first company to commit to circular HDS production at a European site within a concrete timeframe” and the company is now “focused on building the necessary ecosystem” to bring HDS to market. This involves working with stakeholders across the entire value chain, and tyre maker Continental is a key partner in this journey. Through the implementation of its proprietary rice husk ash (RHA) process in Europe, the company is confident is can “ensure consistent product quality by levelling out variability of agro feedstocks.”

“Silica is essential for the high performance of our tyres. And with Solvay’s bio-circular silica, our tyres will at the same time become more sustainable. It reduces the overall carbon footprint and increases the share of renewable materials in our tyres,” says Claus Petschick, head of sustainability at Continental Tires. “Rice husk is an agricultural by-product that was not used for tyre production until very recently. Soon they will take us one step closer to our goal of 100 per cent sustainable materials in our tyres by 2050 at the latest.”

Expanding HDS capacity in North America

Solvay also has plans to build a new plant in North America over the coming years to expand its HDS capacity, which will significantly increase the Group’s footprint in the region. This new facility will be designed for circular raw materials and be aligned with the company’s carbon neutrality roadmap. The Group is also investigating projects on circular HDS in Asia and South America.

“Building on our constant drive for progress and innovation, 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 tyre manufacturers and other industries across the world, as we continue to reinvent progress with our Silica offering,” says Ilham Kadri, chief executive officer of Solvay.