Rhodia has invested €1 million to increase its production of industrial polyamide fibres in Brazil. The fibres are used to produce sewing threads for the footwear, automotive, and furniture upholstery industries. Part of the funds has been used to upgrade the industrial process so that all polyamide fibre output is used to produce high tenacity sewing threads.

According to Renato Boaventura, director of Rhodia Industrial Yarns & Fibers South America, the company has expanded production in response to market demand for quality components that add value to final products."At the same time," said Mr Boaventura, "it consolidates Rhodia's position as the main Brazilian supplier of polyamide industrial filaments for sewing thread."
The Brazilian market for sewing thread stands at 5,000 tons of industrial filament per year of which 90% is produced by local manufacturers and 10% is imported. Besides ensuring supply to its local clients, Rhodia also intends to expand exports to other countries in Latin America.

Sold under the Rhodianyl HT (High Tenacity) brand, high tenacity industrial filaments offer a range of benefits such as higher resistance, excellent sewing capacity and easy dyeing.

The technology used in the production of these technical fibres was developed with manufacturers of sewing threads and is backed by the company's technology centres in Brazil and Europe. Investment in R&D continues and the introduction of a new generation of Rhodia threads is scheduled for the first quarter of 2006," said Thomas Canova, R&D manager.