The Solvay Group is merging its fluoroppolymers activities with those of Ausimont into a new company, which will be officially launched under the name Solvay Solexis on January 1.

In May, Solvay completed the acquisition of Ausimont, estimated in value at 1.3 billion euros. Two chief executive officers-Bernard de Laguiche and Carlo Cogliati-will head Solvay Solexis, which will be headquartered in Bollate, Italy. The company will have approximately 1,800 employees, including an estimated 250 in research-and-development. Production sites and commercial branches will be located in five countries: Italy, the United States, France, Japan, and Brazil. The U.S. locations are in Thorofare and Belle Mead, NJ and Orange, TX.

Solvay Solexis will keep all commercial trade names previously used by Solvay and Ausimont.

Solvay (www.solvay.com) is a chemical and pharmaceutical group headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. It employs more than 31,400 people in 50 countries and includes four business sectors: chemicals, pharmaceuticals, plastics, and processing.