Solutia shortens PVB lamination testing with new lab in China

Having relied on its testing lab in Belgium for customers based in Asia for polyvinyl butyral (PVB) material testing and qualification until now, Solutia has opened a new testing lab in Suzhou, China, intended to significantly reduce lead times. The new facility will contain essential testing equipment, such as a bake oven, thermal bath, pummel testing equipment and an impact tower. Solutia said that the facility will also house a sample center, which will provide Saflex sheet samples on request to customers across the region.

“While Solutia has always taken part in rigorous internal and external testing of our Saflex interlayers to ensure the quality of our products, the opening of a new customer service laboratory located at our plant in Suzhou, China, brings this support to the Asia Pacific region,” said Mark Slock, global technical service director for Solutia’s Saflex division. “The new laboratory will allow Saflex applications staff to locally test laminated glass products made with Saflex polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayers in-house to ensure that they meet critical architectural, automotive, and photovoltaic industry norms.”

Rick Calk, VP of commercial operations for Saflex, said, “By bringing laminate testing capabilities to our Suzhou plant, this allows Saflex to be more proactive and responsive to our regional customers’ needs and requests for additional testing.” 

The new facility is intended to service laminate testing programs for customers located in the Asia Pacific region within the Architectural, Automotive and Photovoltaic markets.