The French speciality chemicals producer, Rhodia, has opened a silica laboratory adjacent to its Paulinea production plant in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
According to Walter Cirillo, Rhodia's President for Latin America, the facility represents an investment of some R$1 million ($285,000). It also forms a central part of the company's strategy to offer innovation to its customers on a regional level, including those operating in the shoe industry. In the last few years, Rhodia has launched a range of high-dispersibility silicas in Brazil for the production of rubber compounds, including those for shoe soling materials.
