Chemical giant Solvay eyeing up nation's sustainable auto sector

Powertrain efficiency products made with rare earth based and mixed oxide formulations can improve the performance of automotive catalytic converters. This minimizes carbon dioxide emissions to help meet environmental regulations.

Green and clean technology, such as highly dispersible silica, or HDS, can reduce the rolling resistance of tires by up to 7 percent while maintaining safety, low fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

"These solutions not only reduce environmental impacts, but also improve energy efficiency and reduce costs," said Laudenbach.

The Michelin Challenge Bibendum is a global summit dedicated to sustainable mobility. At the latest meeting these solutions were highlighted, particularly those that lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions and bolster city transport, such as electric cars.

An example of Solvay's role in sustainable mobility is the Solar Impulse 2, an airplane that uses 6,000 Solvay components to run on solar energy. This pioneering project helped many of Solvay's sustainable transport solutions go to market.

"The plane will begin its first world tour in 2015 and China will be a major stop. It is part of our dream in the area of new energy development," Laudenbach said.

Solvay has more than 2,900 employees in China who work at 17 manufacturing facilities and four research and innnovation centers across the country, including locations in Shanghai, Zhenjiang and Qingdao. The group's net sales reached 760 million euros ($861 million) in China in 2013, which ranked the country as the company's largest sales market in the Asia-Pacific region.

"Traditionally, we are considered as a chemical supplier. This definition has certainly changed under the current global economic setting," said Laudenbach. "We are looking to supply sustainable solutions to go beyond our previous businesses to enter new fields such as providing formulas and customized services to Chinese customers."

"Sustainable mobility will be a real opportunity for China to leapfrog other parts of the world to become a competitive player in the global automobile market. We are ready to support China in this process with our own pioneering new materials and technologies" said Laudenbach.