Solvay buys global polyphenylene sulfide business from Chevron Phillips

Chevron Phillips Chemical has completed the sale of its Ryton polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) business to Solvay’s global specialty polymers business unit for $220 million, the company announced today.

As part of the transaction, Solvay purchased the Ryton PPS unit in Chevron Phillips Chemical’s plant in Borger, Texas; the pilot plant along with the PPS research and development assets in Bartlesville, Oklahoma; the compounding plant in Kallo-Beveren, Belgium; and certain intellectual property relating to the Ryton PPS business. 

The compounding plant in La Porte, Texas, will remain part of Chevron Phillips Chemical and will be operated by Chevron Phillips Chemical exclusively for Solvay for some period of time. 

Nearly all employees of Chevron Phillips Chemical’s Ryton PPS business have either joined Solvay or were deployed to other parts of our organization.

“While the Ryton PPS business is a better strategic fit for Solvay, we remain committed to our sites in Borger, Texas and Bartlesville, Oklahoma,” said Ron Corn, senior vice president of specialties, aromatics and styrenics for Chevron Phillips Chemical. 

"Chevron Phillips Chemical will continue to manufacture high-quality specialty chemicals at its Borger plant and provide full-scale petrochemical and polymer research including new catalyst development, product and process development, and commercial process support at our research and development center in Bartlesville," he added.

Recently, Chevron Phillips Chemical announced plans to build a new polyethylene pilot plant at its research center in Bartlesville.