Brussels, Belgium – Solvay is expanding its composite materials capacities with a state-of-the-art resin facility and an upgraded site in Östringen, Germany. The expansion is to help meet growing demand from aircraft customers for lightweighting materials and to provide products and services for parts such as engine fan blades.

Solvay's site will produce and supply materials including for the LEAP engine produced by CFM International, the joint company between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines, for Airbus and Boeing.

Solvay will produce its infusion resins and resins for reinforced composite materials from this facility, which is expected to be in production Q2 2017 after customer qualifications. Resin infusion processing technologies are increasingly important in the manufacturing of composite parts as they meet demands from the aerospace industry for faster and higher volume processing of key parts.