Four years. Four consecutive wins. 🏆 We are immensely proud to announce that our Latin America CEO, Daniela Manique, has once again been named an "Executivo de Valor" by Valor Econômico in the chemical and petrochemical sector. This recognition reflects the strength of an ecosystem built on purposeful innovation and real-world impact. Over the past year, Daniela’s leadership has driven our operations in Brazil to advance decarbonization and strengthen our environmental commitments, while expanding vital partnerships that create lasting social change. Together, we are reshaping the Essential Chemical industry to be both highly competitive and fundamentally sustainable for the future.
We’re taking the next step in our partnership with Pantys, expanding our collaboration to create positive impact for generations to come. What started with product innovation has evolved into a broader collaboration focused on improving everyday life by connecting sustainable materials, community programs, and measurable social impact. Together, we are: • combining product innovation with community programs • supporting education and access to menstrual health and incontinence solutions • strengthening how we understand and measure impact This partnership reflects how collaboration can connect science, innovation, and inclusion to build a better future for today and tomorrow.
By leveraging our recognized rare earth separation expertise and processing technology to accelerate feedstock supply from Brazil, Solvay has signed a Letter of Intent with Viridis Mining and Minerals Limited to secure a strategic supply of rare earth materials for our La Rochelle plant in France. This agreement secures a reliable pipeline of Nd (Neodymium), Pr (Praseodymium), Dysprosium (Dy) and Terbium (Tb) alongside Samarium, Gadolinium, and Yttrium. These elements are essential for the next generation of high-performance electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, aerospace, and defense systems. Our La Rochelle facility is one of the largest rare earth separation plants outside China capable of processing all rare earth elements at an industrial scale. This collaboration is a massive step toward our broader goal: supplying 30% of the European market for magnet-grade light and heavy rare earths by 2030. As An Nuyttens, President of Solvay’s Special Chem business, noted: "This proposed transaction marks a significant milestone in strengthening and diversifying our upstream supply chain. By partnering with Viridis, we ensure another reliable source of raw materials that allows us to maximize our processing capacity and meet the growing global demand for high-purity, sustainably processed rare earth elements." Thank you to Rafael Moreno and the Viridis team. Together, we are building a more resilient, diversified, and responsible value chain for the future.
Human progress and Essential Chemistry have been deeply connected in Bulgaria for millennia, a legacy that directly shapes our modern responsibilities. Near our site lies Provadia-Solnitsata, one of Europe’s oldest salt production centers built more than 7,000 years ago. Salt was essential then, and it still is. Today, that relationship continues at Devnya, where natural resources are transformed into soda ash and bicarbonate that power essential value chains, from construction and automotive to solar panels and batteries. Marking the latest stop on our Executive Leadership Team Roadshow, our CEO, Philippe Kehren, made his first visit to the site in his new role. He joined Nicolas van der Heyden, Managing Director Solvay Sodi AD, and the local team to review our energy transition. Securing these vital supply chains means tackling our environmental footprint directly. While we are working to move away from coal, the industrial-scale alternative does not yet exist. As Philippe noted, progress starts by facing industrial realities exactly as they are and moving forward anyway, finding solutions and making steady progress where it is possible. By honoring the history that brought us here while engineering a transparent path forward, the Devnya team is proving that sustainable progress is built on realistic, accountable action.
At our Devnya plant in Bulgaria, students from the Varna High School of Chemistry stepped inside an industrial site and saw chemistry come to life. What they knew from textbooks suddenly became something real, operational, and meaningful. Inside the plant, they explored how chemistry works at scale, from digitalized control rooms to the role of soda ash in everyday products like glass and solar panels. These visits do more than explain processes. They help bridge the gap between education and industry, making future career paths feel tangible and within reach. Because understanding how something works can change how you see your future. It’s a different way of bringing science closer to reality.
At our Devnya plant in Bulgaria, students from the Varna High School of Chemistry stepped inside an industrial site and saw chemistry come to life. What they knew from textbooks suddenly became something real, operational, and meaningful. Inside the plant, they explored how chemistry works at scale, from digitalized control rooms to the role of soda ash in everyday products like glass and solar panels. These visits do more than explain processes. They help bridge the gap between education and industry, making future career paths feel tangible and within reach. Because understanding how something works can change how you see your future. It’s a different way of bringing science closer to reality.
Our Annual General Meeting was an important opportunity to reconnect with our Shareholders and reaffirm our direction. Over the past year, we adapted and moved forward with focus, strengthening our company and preparing for the future. Solvay remains essential to many industries and everyday applications. We stay committed to supporting more sustainable solutions and driving long-term progress globally. Our guidance is unchanged. Discipline remains our priority, supported by strong fundamentals, a solid operating model and dedicated teams. We are proud of the strong support from Shareholders, with over 90% approval across all resolutions, including the dividend, remuneration report and Pierre Gurdjian’s re-election.
Leadership matters most when it shows up on the ground. Last week, our Executive and Global Leadership Teams met employees across North America, touring sites and labs, hosting town halls, and listening to those behind Solvay’s Essential Chemistry. They saw progress in digital tools, circularity trials and strong safety cultures, including 35 years accident-free at Longview, and met external stakeholders in Mexico. Staying close keeps decisions grounded and ambition aligned as we build what’s Essential for Generations.
At Solvay, strategy comes to life on the plant floor. From the industrial hubs of Voikkaa and Jemeppe to the innovation centers of Shanghai and Zhenjiang, our leadership recently engaged with the teams driving our 2026 goals. Whether it was CEO Philippe Kehren and Peroxides Business President, Carlos Silveira celebrating nearly 1,600 accident-free days in Finland, or General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Lisa Brown exploring how AI and digitalization are transforming our operations in China, the mission remains the same: connecting global vision with local expertise. This journey highlights a powerful blend of heritage and technology, where refreshed plants in Belgium meet the digital resilience of our teams in Liyang. By fostering open dialogue - from diverse shift teams to collaborative local ecosystems - we ensure our leaders stay close to the heartbeat of the business, working together to build a better company For Generations.
You don’t see it, but it changes everything. Across our sites, the deployment of connected industrial sensors is changing how decisions are made. Real-time monitoring allows teams to anticipate issues, reduce downtime, and improve energy efficiency. Together with IMI, more than 5,000 sensors are already in place across 25 sites in 11 countries. Building on this momentum, the plan for total deployment is 9,000 by 2027. These connected devices, often referred to as Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, continuously measure vibration and temperature on critical equipment. It’s a shift in how plants run: from fixed maintenance schedules to decisions based on real-time data. Less guesswork > Fewer breakdowns > More reliable operations > Because digitalization only matters when it improves how things work on the ground.
