Rhodia opened a new high-performance silica plant in Qingdao as the French chemicals group marked the 30th anniversary of its presence in China.

The new plant has a capacity to annually produce 72,000 tons of highly dispersible silica, which is used in the manufacture of tires, the company said in a statement. The highly dispersible silica decreases tread resistance, resulting in a 5 percent to 7 percent reduction in fuel consumption by light cars, the company said.

The plant will add another 30 percent to Rhodia's production capacity for highly dispersible silica. Rhodia’s China operations account for 28 percent of its sales and 21 percent of its employees.

By Dai Yan (China Daily Qingdao Bureau)

Editor: Li Jing