New agreement reinforces long-standing commercial and technical partnership between both companies.
Solvay, a global market leader in high-performance polymer and composite materials, has signed a multi-million euro agreement with long-term partner Agru, a leader in engineered polymer applications, for the supply of high-purity Solef® polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). With this multi-year contract, Agru secures the reliable supply of Solef® PVDF for the manufacture of ultra-pure water piping systems used in the growing semiconductor industry.
“Over the last 4 decades, our teams have collaborated intensively with Agru. By building on Solvay’s high-purity resins and Agru’s advanced engineering providing, our co-located teams have been able to jointly develop new applications in one of their key growth market, the semiconductors industry and significantly increase the cleanliness of piping systems,” says Peter Browning President of Solvay’s Specialty Polymers Global Business Unit. “This agreement further reinforces the bond between our companies, and we look forward to continuing to grow our partnership with Agru.”
As an industry benchmark thermoplastic fluoropolymers, Solvay’s Solef® PVDF resins are utilized extensively in the semiconductor industry for pipes, tubing and fittings used in water piping systems due to their exceptional purity. Unlike many other plastics, they do not require the use of stabilizers, plasticizers, lubricants or flame-retardant additives. Thanks to their chemical inertness and to the virtual absence of released contaminants, natural Solef® PVDF grades are ideal for components in distribution systems or ultra-pure water and other chemically pure fluids used in the semiconductor industry.
High-purity Solef® PVDF grades are based on 100% pure polymer feedstock without any added substance and are produced in a dedicated line to prevent any possible cross-contamination. They deliver a smooth surface and have a low coefficient of friction, which prevents the build-up of bio-film and bacterial growth – a critical performance requirement for a wide range of high-tech applications in the semiconductor industry, in thin-film transistor (TFT) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) manufacturing, and in the life sciences, food and photovoltaic industries. Balanced processability as a neat resin and excellent mechanical properties make Solef® PVDF the best solution for high-pressure piping systems.
“We have many years of experience in the use of Solef® PVDF for our PURAD portfolio of piping systems, and we are excited to extend our strategic partnership with Solvay,” states Alois Gruber, CEO and owner of Agru. “As a global leader in the industry, our customers trust us for the quality and reliability of our products, and working with Solvay to secure our Solef® PVDF supplies for the coming years will strengthen our market position.”
Solef® is a registered trademark of Solvay.
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Andrew Lau, VP Electronics and Industrial for Solvay’s Specialty Polymers Global Business Unit, with Alois Gruber, owner and CEO of Agru.
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Solvay is a science company whose technologies bring benefits to many aspects of daily life. With more than 22,000 employees in 61 countries, Solvay bonds people, ideas and elements to reinvent progress. The Group seeks to create sustainable shared value for all, notably through its Solvay One Planet plan crafted around three pillars: protecting the climate, preserving resources and fostering better life. The Group’s innovative solutions contribute to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable products found in homes, food and consumer goods, planes, cars, batteries, smart devices, health care applications, water and air purification systems. Founded in 1863, Solvay today ranks among the world’s top three companies for the vast majority of its activities and delivered net sales of €13.4 billion in 2022. Learn more at www.solvay.com.
Founded back in 1948 by Alois Gruber Senior, Agru has become one of the world's most important single-source suppliers for piping systems, semi-finished products, concrete protection liners, and lining systems made from engineering plastics. Most products are designed to serve the protection of both people and the environment. The ability to supply everything from a single source distinguishes the company in the market. Only top-grade thermoplastic polymers are utilized as raw materials. When it comes to application-technical consulting, Agru stands as a top partner in the field. With a broad range of available thermoplastics, the product expertise of the application engineers, high-quality production, and a global logistics network, Agru has established itself as a leading choice for sophisticated plastics engineering.
