"One year after commissioning our new plant in Qingdao, China, this additional increase in production capacity confirms our continued commitment to leadership in highly dispersible silica," commented Tom Benner, president of Silica. "We are also in the construction phase of a similar expansion at Collonges au Mont dOr, France that will be completed in 2012.

“Combined,” he explained, “these three latest investments increase our global capacity of highly dispersible silica over 40 percent, ensuring that we are prepared now to meet long-term growth expectations associated with demand for fuel-saving tires.”

“Our teams are extremely committed to deliver value to our customers in the tire and automotive sectors in their quest for sustainable solutions to end consumers’’, added Mike Quinn, general manager for Rhodia Silica in North America.

The Chicago Heights site, located south of Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1995, is one of eight Rhodia sites producing highly dispersible silica at the highest quality standard for fuel-saving tires, battery separators, and other key markets.

The inauguration was also an opportunity to show a new environmentally engineered greenhouse conference room and surrounding terrace at the site that was designed and developed in partnership with local students from Garfield Elementary School. ‘Rhodia maintains a strong commitment to the local communities in which we operate as well as to sustainable development. I am extremely proud of how we work with our community partners here in Chicago Heights. This new greenhouse space is a key example.’ said Jim Harton, president of Rhodia in North America.