Solvay spinoff firm will offer circular materials

A proposed split of 160-year-old Belgium-based company Solvay will see parts of its operations, including those pertaining to “circular solutions,” become part of a new company called Synesqo.

The parts of Solvay as currently formed now placed into its EssentialCo business unit will carry the Solvay name after the firm is divided into two separate publicly traded companies.

Parts of the company currently within the SpecialtyCo business unit will adopt the name Synesqo. According to the firm, Synesqo will focus on markets including making the next generation of electric vehicle (EV) batteries by advancing green hydrogen and thermoplastic composites and on breakthroughs in bio-based solutions, natural ingredients circular solutions and more.

Calling Synesqo “a science company of explorers,” the Belgian firm says the postbreakup company will be active in several sectors, including specialty polymers, composites, oil and gas, batteries, “green” hydrogen, thermoplastic composites and renewable materials and biotechnology.

The business activities planned for Synesqo generated approximately 7.9 billion euros ($8.6 billion) in net sales last year, according to Solvay.

Regarding polymers, Solvay announced last year it was using the mass balance method to track and trace the flow of certified circular and/or renewable materials pertaining to its new ReCycle MB* Specialty Polymers Portfolio.

Relating to that effort, Solvay attained ISCC-PLUS certification for its Augusta, Georgia, facility. That site produces what Solvay calls “an ISCC-PLUS compliant sulfone monomer, which will subsequently be used for the production of Udel PSU ReCycle MB and Radel PPSU ReCycle MB sulfone polymers.”

At the time, Solvay said, “This certification process will cover a growing portfolio of products spanning different chemistries.”