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São Paulo, November 26, 2019 - In all market segments in which it has participated and continues to operate, Rhodia has stood out for believing in Brazil's potential, investing continuously in the development and creation of technologies, processes, and products, as well as in the installation of production units.
As part of the Solvay Group since September 2011, Rhodia remains a vibrant organization, with a youthful spirit, always ahead of its time, with the purpose of fostering Sustainable Chemistry, which helps build a better future for people and life on the planet. Below are some highlights of Rhodia's significant presence in Brazil.
1919 - Foundation of Rhodia on December 19, 1919, as the Brazilian subsidiary of the then French group Rhône-Poulenc, for the manufacture of chemical and pharmaceutical products in Santo André (SP). The first factory was inaugurated in 1921, a significant step at the time, as the country was beginning its industrialization process. In addition to "lança-perfume" (a scented spray), which was the inaugural product of this unit, Rhodia began manufacturing other chemicals and medicines, introducing technologies not yet available in the country, applied in creams, ointments, and medicines in tablet form for health treatment.
1929 – Rhodia begins textile production in Brazil, in Santo André, with rayon viscose artificial fiber.
1936 - Establishment of Valisère for the production of women's textile articles. The company remained in Rhodia's possession until 1986 when it was transferred to the Rosset Group.
1942 - Acquisition of Fazenda São Francisco in Paulínia-SP for sugarcane cultivation and the use of ethanol in the company's alcohol-chemical route. It is considered the initial milestone of the current chemical and petrochemical complex in the Campinas region and neighboring municipalities.
1955 - Obtained international license for the production of polyamide (nylon) in Brazil for application in textile and high tenacity industrial yarns. This production marked Rhodia's pioneering entry into the world of synthetic textile fibers, which in the following decades would bring about a true revolution in textile consumption behavior in the country.
1958 - Start of oxygenated solvents production, a fundamental milestone for Rhodia's chemical complex in Paulínia. Currently, the company's industrial complex in Paulínia comprises twenty units manufacturing different chemical products, as well as hosting operations of other companies in the agrochemical, veterinary, and pharmaceutical sectors.
1960/1970/1980 - National and international campaigns to disseminate Brazilian textile products, which included participation in cultural movements related to the sector (including sponsorship of the first Brazilian music festivals) and industrial sector fairs aimed at strengthening the Brazilian textile chain.
1970 - Inauguration of the first Brazilian factory for phenol and derivatives – a chemical product with various applications in important sectors of the Brazilian economy, ranging from the automotive sector to textiles and plastics, through foundries, wood, and other industrial segments. Over almost 50 years of activities, this factory has been the target of investments in process modernization and expansion of production capacity to meet its customers in Brazil and abroad.
1975 - Establishment of the Paulínia Research Center (CPP), which currently brings together a dozen laboratories for the development of local innovations and application of technologies, processes, and products related to Chemistry.
1980/1998 - Several production expansions of various chemical units installed in Paulínia (phenol and derivatives, oxygenated solvents, chemical intermediates, and polyamide intermediates, silicas, etc.).
1981 - Launch of the 'Você Fala, a Rhodia' campaign, which revolutionized the relationship between companies and consumers. The first industrial ombudsman's work began in Brazil. This was followed by the launch of the Open Doors Policy aimed at improving relations between the company and its target audiences: (customers, investors, employees, suppliers, communities, Press).
1992 - Start of Brazilian production of polyamide and polyester textile microfibers at the Santo André (SP) factory — the initial step in introducing the then incipient production of 'intelligent' textiles in the country.
1998 – Separation of Rhône-Poulenc Group businesses, with the chemical areas being grouped under the name Rhodia, which became a global brand.
1998 - The pioneering launch of Amni® Biotech – the first intelligent textile yarn created in Brazil – represented the country's entry into the functional textile yarn and fiber segment. Amni® Biotech is a yarn that controls the proliferation of bacteria that cause unpleasant odors.
2006/2007 - Installation of Brazil's first greenhouse gas abatement unit, under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol. This unit accounts for 40% of Solvay Group's total emissions worldwide. 5.3 million tons of CO2 equivalent are eliminated annually, equivalent to the emissions of a fleet of one million two hundred thousand cars driving on the streets during the period. Considering the Brazilian chemical industry as a whole, this industrial unit contributes about 20% to emission reduction.
2007/2008 - Establishment of the Rhodia Institute to coordinate the company's Social Responsibility initiatives. Launch of the Alquimia Jovem project, a complementary education program for students from public schools near the company's industrial complex in Paulínia (SP). Until 2018, around 1,200 young students had benefited from this project.
2008 – Launch of the revolutionary Emana® - a polyamide textile microfiber created in Brazil that acts to improve blood microcirculation in the body part in contact with clothing, aiding in skin elasticity. As proven benefits by scientific studies, clothes made with Emana® allow for the reduction of cellulite signs and help delay muscle fatigue, improving sports performance. This product has been widely used in lingerie, intimate fashion, fitness, and active or casual sportswear, and in the jeanswear segment.
2009 - Launch of the first product in the Augeo® family, which are solvents derived from renewable sources for application in different market segments, such as paints and varnishes, wood, leather, petroleum and gas, household and institutional cleaning formulations, and for fragrances and air fresheners. Augeo® is a genuinely Brazilian sustainable innovation, developed at the Paulínia Research Center.
2011 - Merger of Rhodia with the Solvay Group to create a leading international group in specialty chemicals and advanced materials. The Rhodia brand is maintained only in Brazil.
2013/2014 - Acquisition of two specialty chemicals industrial units in Itatiba (SP) and Taboão da Serra (SP), expanding the portfolio of products for Agro, Home & Personal Care, Paints and Coatings, Petroleum and Gas, and industrial markets.
2014 - Launch of Amni® Soul Eco, the world's first biodegradable polyamide textile yarn. Amni® Soul Eco was created to allow clothes made from this yarn to decompose rapidly after being disposed of in a controlled landfill. This product demonstrates Rhodia's commitment to the planet and the textile industry.
2015 - Inauguration in Paulínia of the first Industrial Biotechnology Laboratory (IBL) of the Solvay Group, which focuses on researching new processes and molecules derived from Brazilian biomass and their transformation into innovative solutions for customers.
sustainable solvents from the Augeo® line — a case in the Brazilian industrial sector because an innovation created in the country generated a factory, whose products serve global markets. This factory is being expanded in a new project that is expected to be ready by mid-2020.
2018/2019 - Development and commercialization of the Mackaderm® ingredient line, 100% sourced from plants, for the Personal Care market, from the Taboão da Serra (SP) factory. Start of production at the Itatiba (SP) industrial unit of eco-friendly Rhodapex BR PSA® chemicals, created in Brazil, for the manufacture of paints and coatings. Development in Brazil and launch of Protect®, an environmentally friendly anti-corrosion biocide for the Oil and Gas industry.
2019 - Launch of Amni® Dynamic, an ultra-fast drying polyamide textile yarn, unprecedented in the market, and Amni® Soul Cycle – the world's first biodegradable and recycled polyamide textile yarn – an advancement in the textile sector's sustainability.