Solutia reaches phosphonates production agreement with Lonza Inc.

Under the agreement, Lonza will utilize certain phosphonate production assets at its Mapleton, Ill., facility to produce select grades of Solutia's Dequest phosphonate products. The Unihib phosphonate product line, formerly marketed by Lonza, will continue to be produced at the Mapleton facility but will now be marketed by Solutia.

With this agreement, Solutia now has Dequest produced in facilities on three continents: Europe, Asia and North America. "The Mapleton facility provides a central point of production for our North American customers," said Sharon Dunn, Dequest North America business manager, Solutia. "As a result, we anticipate that our customers will have access to our products with a shorter lead time, which will enable them to more effectively manage their supply chain and reduce their inventory costs."

Phosphonates are highly active specialty chemicals, used as chelants, dispersants and crystal growth inhibitors in a multitude of water-related applications. Solutia is the world's largest producer of phosphonates, and its Newport, Wales, facility houses the world's largest phosphonates production plant.