Chemicals group Solvay said it was increasing production of rare earth materials at its plant in western France, as soaring global trade tensions underscored the need for Europe to reduce its reliance on imports of materials that are vital for the energy transition.
The new production line at its La Rochelle plant will produce materials for advanced magnet technology that is used in a range of industries including electric vehicles, wind turbines and defence systems.
The move to expand the plant comes as US President Donald Trump’s trade wars have highlighted the urgency for Europe to wean itself off supply chains that are dominated by China, which last week retaliated against sweeping tariffs by announcing new export bans on certain rare earths.