Northwest Indiana Times: Chicago Heights manufacturing plant expands
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Lu Ann Franklin, Correspondent with the Times writes about the expansion of Rhodia Inc.'s south suburban plant.
CHICAGO HEIGHTS | Specialty chemical producer Rhodia Inc. unveiled the expansion of its south suburban plant Wednesday along with a new environmentally engineered greenhouse conference room designed by students from Garfield Elementary School.
The seven-acre plant at 1020 State St. produces highly dispersible silica, a mineral found in quartz and sand used primarily in the production of fuel-saving tires. Rhodia's silica also is used in a variety of other markets such as industrial applications, personal care products and nutrition.
This expansion increases the output of silica by 16,000 tons and boosts Rhodia's North American capacity by 33 percent, said Mike Quinn, vice president and general manager. It is the international company's largest expansion project in Chicago Heights since the plant was built in 1995, he said.
Rhodia's highly dispersible silica is used in tire treads to lower rolling resistance by about 25 percent so vehicles use 5 percent to 7 percent less fuel and emit 5 percent to 7 percent less carbon dioxide, Quinn said.
Read the complete article at the Northwest Indiana Times: http://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/chicago-heights-manufacturing-plant-expands/article_a905b9fc-6de5-5766-b725-ae1c45e545fa.html#ixzz1dtzpX1w5
