Solutia Begins Producing EVA Encapsulants in China   

Solutia Inc. (NYSE: SOA) announced the opening of its new Vistasolar R ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) manufacturing center in Suzhou, eastern China on May 4. The new facility recently passed major testing milestones and is now ready to supply commercial-grade Vistasolar EVA encapsulant for use in solar modules. This announcement marks the latest in a series of investments Solutia has made to help solar module manufacturers lower the total cost of production and help make solar energy competitive with traditional sources of energy.
   Chinese solar module manufacturers currently produce more than half of all modules installed globally, and this new manufacturing center will strengthen Solutia's position to reliably supply high-quality solar encapsulants to the Chinese photovoltaic market. Solutia also produces encapsulants in Germany, Belgium, the United States, Mexico and Brazil.
   This is Solutia's first new EVA production facility to be developed after the acquisition of Etimex Solar GmbH of Germany. The facility is based at the company's Suzhou manufacturing center, which also produces Saflex R polyvinyl butyral (PVB) films. Solutia continues to be the only manufacturer of all major photovoltaic module encapsulant technologies, including EVA, PVB and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).