According to US media reports, Solvay (Brussels / Belgium; www.solvay.com) has submitted a takeover bid of about USD 32.6m for US electronics technology specialists Plextronics (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; www.plextronics.com). The privately-owned company develops and produces conductive polymer inks used in organic electronic applications. Its products are primarily utilised in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) for next-generation display and lighting, batteries for enhanced power performance and emerging organic electronics. The company applied for Chapter 11 protection from creditors on 16 January at the US Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware. The court filing indicates that Solvay made a previous attempt to buy Plextronics in 2010; however, the Belgian company's board denied its approval.

Solvay has been an investor in the 2002 spin-off of research carried out by Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania / USA; www.cmu.edu) since 2007. The media reports state the Belgians have a 47% share in the company, which lists assets of USD 3m but a total debt of USD 33m. In 2010, Solvay pumped EUR 10m into the entity, in a move to ensure the development of its technology was accelerated and available to a larger customer base – see Plasteurope.com of 29.07.2011.