Solutia (St. Louis, Minnesota / USA; www.solutia.com) plans to upgrade its plant in Gent / Belgium to produce multi-layer rolls of “Saflex” Q series advanced acoustic polyvinyl butyral (PVB) sheet for automotive windows. Solutia said the expansion will meet growing global demand for sound-proof glazing from the increasing number of OEM acoustic automotive platforms. The company already has automotive acoustic production in Santo Toribio / Mexico.

Tim Wessel, president and general manager of Solutia’s advanced interlayers division, said the addition of acoustic technology for automotive applications in Gent complements the recent architectural acoustic investment made at the site. Earlier this year, the company expanded its third extrusion line in Gent to produce 3.2 metre wide rolls of advanced, multi-layer acoustic interlayer for the European architectural market.

Automotive windscreens made with Saflex Q series advanced acoustic interlayer products provide acoustical damping and sound control, Solutia said. The products also allow automakers to decrease the thickness of the windscreen and replace standard tempered side glass with acoustic laminated side-lites, which can reduce vehicle weight by up to 10.5 kg, it added.