Solvay SA (Belgium) said 22 June 2007 that Solvay Sodi, its Bulgarian soda ash joint venture, is expanding annual production capacity at its Devnya plant from 1.2M to 1.5M metric tons. The expansion accompanies the growth projects of its clients in the dynamic markets of the Balkans, the Commonwealth of Independent States (Russia and the former Soviet Republics) & the Middle East. As a result, the Devnya site will become one of the world's largest soda ash manufacturing units using the Solvay industrial production process. The capacity increase, which is part of an investment program of around EUR 50M over 3 years, includes a new line of dense soda ash particularly aimed at supplying glass industry clients & will be phased into operation in the course of 2008. Solvay Sodi has also recently decided to invest EUR 70M to upgrade the site's power supply.
