Solvay celebrates an extraordinary feat: Solar Impulse 2 successfully completes its world tour...

Brussels, July 26 2016 --- Solvay celebrates the achievement of Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, who today completed their world flight at the controls of Solar Impulse 2 (Si2). The return to Abu Dhabi, at the end of a 35,000 kilometre journey on just the sun's energy, marks the culmination of an incredible adventure in which Solvay has been involved right from the start.

In a letter addressed to the two pilots at the occasion of their landing in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, CEO of Solvay, thanked them on behalf of the Group's employees.

'On behalf of all Solvay employees, I would like to say a huge thank you for these 12 extraordinary years, marked with dreams, challenges, big and small technological victories. These 12 years were supported by your energy and remarkable personalities which built the success of Solar Impulse day after day,' he wrote to them.

Ever since Solvay became the first partner of Solar Impulse in 2004 it dedicated its expertise and innovation capacities to this project. Fifteen Solvay products applied in more than 6,000 parts enable the storage and optimal consumption of energy and lightweight the solar plane. Moreover, Solvay supplied the composite materials for the wing spars and rear stabilizer parts.

'All limits of materials we have pushed further to make this plane fly with you, reinforce our belief that chemistry provides effective solutions for the sustainable development of our societies. Our Group aspires more than ever to remain a bridge between science and sustainable progress. Yes, we can ask more from chemistry!,' he added.

Almost all products that were developed for this 'flying lab' are already available in our daily lives in markets ranging from automotive, aviation and aerospace to construction and smart devices.

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