Belgium-based Solvay has officially opened a ‘state of the art’ manufacturing centre in Wrexham (it already has a plant in Havre De Grace, Maryland (USA).

The new purpose-built centre has been designed with a strong focus on automation, to optimise the production and supply-chain security of aerospace structural adhesives, surfacing films and lightning strike protection for composite structures.

Carmelo Lo Faro, head of Solvay’s composite materials global business unit (www.solvay.com), said: “Solvay’s new centre, equipped with cutting-edge technologies, industrialises its manufacturing capabilities for structural adhesive and surfacing materials.

“It provides the quality and reliability that our global aerospace customers need to meet the increasing rates of their aircraft programmes.”

Solvay is an advanced-materials and specialty-chemicals company that partners with customers world-wide in diverse markets. Its products are used in aircraft, cars, batteries, smart and medical devices, as well as in mineral, oil and gas extraction.

Its lightweighting materials promote cleaner mobility, its formulations optimise the use of resources, and its high-performance chemicals improve air and water quality.

Its headquarters are in Brussels, and it has around 26,800 employees in 61 countries.