Dive Brief:
- Specialty chemical maker Solstice Advanced Materials announced on Monday that it will invest more than $220 million to expand production at its ballistic fiber manufacturing facility in Colonial Heights, Virginia.
- “Solstice is upgrading and installing advanced manufacturing equipment, enhancing production capabilities, and expanding facility space where needed to support long-term growth in advanced materials manufacturing,” Simon Mawson, senior VP and general manager of Solstice’s electronic and specialty materials business, said in an email on Thursday.
- Construction and equipment installation began in May 2025, Mawson said. The project is expected to create 100 jobs by 2029 and is anticipated to be completed on Sept. 30, 2030.
Dive Insight:
Solstice’s investment would increase the plant’s capacity for its Spectra and Spectra Shield brand ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, according to the press release.
The synthetic material is used to manufacture protective gear such as helmets, vests and vehicle armor. It can also be used in naval and other industrial applications. The ballistic materials in protective gear are designed to withstand accelerating projectiles, such as bullets and shrapnel.
The project addresses the U.S. military’s strategy to maintain and expand domestic production of advanced ballistic materials, the company said in the release. The U.S. military uses Solstice’s Spectra ballistic materials, but the chemical maker does not have commercial contracts with the U.S. military, Mawson said. Instead, Solstice is a secondary supplier to companies under contract, several of which serve as prime suppliers.
The investment would also bolster Solstice’s domestic manufacturing and improve supply chain resilience for “defense-critical materials,” David Sewell, Solstice president and CEO, said in a statement.
“Our advanced fibers and composites deliver critical protection across defense, law enforcement and industrial applications – all of which represent significant growth markets for Solstice,” Sewell said.
The global body armor plates market is expected to reach $4.1 billion by 2034, according to an analysis by Custom Market Insights. In the United States, there is an increased demand for Level III and IV plates. Level III plates are designed to stop bullets shot from an AR-15-type rifle, while Level IV plates are designed for “greater threats” such as the 30-caliber armor-piercing rounds, according to a Chase Tactical blog post.
Furthermore, the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026 provided the Department of Defense with greater flexibility in using the Defense Industrial Base Fund to address supply issues, expand production, and advance manufacturing capabilities.
Solstice’s project announcement comes a week after President Donald Trump signed an executive order prohibiting defense contractors from buying back stocks and issuing dividends if they are underperforming on their agreements. In a Truth Social post, Trump threatened to cut Raytheon’s DOD contracts if it didn’t “step up” and invest in facilities and equipment.
Solstice declined to comment on the NDAA and the executive order.
