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WACKER lends its support to educational initiatives for kindergartens and grade schools in Ramersdorf – Neuperlach (Munich)

Munich, April 4, 2011. – The Science Lab (an educational institution), Booz & Company (a consulting firm) and WACKER have begun a joint educational initiative for the municipal district of Ramersdorf / Neuperlach in Munich. This project is intended to introduce kids from Munich's southeastern neighborhoods to the world of natural science.
The initiative began last fall with an appeal to all grade schools and kindergartens to have interested teachers attend continuing education programs in the natural sciences and technology. Fifty instructors have accepted the offer so far, and are now incorporating their newly acquired experimentation and research skills in the classroom.
In mid-March of this year, the project stepped up its involvement to include the children in its experimental courses. Often denied other extracurricular activities, they can now investigate exciting scientific and technical questions for themselves. Afterwards, the budding researchers enthusiastically present their favorite experiments. In this way, the entire family can discover how exciting and invaluable learning is.
WACKER considers it important for young people growing up in the neighborhood where its headquarters are located to be given an opportunity to study science, regardless of ethnic or social background. To this end, our company will continue to need motivated researchers in order to remain competitive and create products that help to maintain socioeconomic development.

Outstanding: Wacker Chemicals Koreas's accident-free record

Ulsan, March 10, 2011 – The South Korean government has honored WACKER's Ulsan site for its record ten years without a single reportable work-related accident. WACKER POLYMERS produces VINNAPAS® dispersions in Ulsan, a major industrial city in the south-east of the country, 350 km from the capital, Seoul.
The Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) has now awarded WACKER Ulsan with a plaque and a certificate in recognition of 3,800 accident-free days. The site – where 52 WACKER employees, including 16 contractors, work – had celebrated 10 accident-free years in 2010. The national government and KOSHA had already awarded the plant top marks for its process safety management the previous year.
Furthermore, Ulsan city authorities have conferred a "self-monitoring" status on the site for selected environmental parameters, to run from 2010 to 2015. The authorities have previously granted such a status to a mere 4% of the 1,000 or so companies headquartered in Ulsan. The parameters to be self-monitored are air (including malodor), wastewater, waste (hazardous and general waste), and toxic materials.

German Bank Adds WACKER to its Ranking List

Ethikbank places WACKER second in its Ranking List

Munich – EthikBank, a German online bank with an ethical and ecological investment strategy, has placed Wacker Chemie AG second in its ranking list. Carmaker BMW leads the list of DAX and MDAX companies with its clear ethical and ecological management policy. In third place, after WACKER, is the Munich Re insurance company.
EthikBank aims to foster sustainable management through its investment policy. “We are convinced that only companies that balance their business interests against their social and ecological responsibilities can be successful in the long term. I think the financial crisis has shown this quite clearly,” says Sylke Schröder, EthikBank’s managing director.
EthikBank (account deposits: €87 million in 2009) bases its index on social and ecological analyses of all DAX and MDAX companies provided by a specialist consultancy firm based in Hanover (imug Beratungsgesellschaft für sozialökologische Innovationen mbH). It is the only German bank that makes no secret of its investment policy to its customers. On the EthikBank’s website, customers can find information about which bonds it is currently investing in. “That makes us truly transparent,” says Schröder.

Dispersible Polymer Powders for energy-effient, exterior Insulation and finish Systems.

Munich, February 11, 2011 – WACKER will be premiering a new product for the construction sector, VINNAPAS® 828 ND, at the upcoming European Coatings Show (ECS) to be held from March 29 – 31 in Nuremberg. This dispersion is an "allrounder" that can be used for the full spectrum of interior and exterior applications. VINNAPAS® 828 ND is manufactured without alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs), plasticizers or solvents.
VINNAPAS®: Dispersible polymer powders for energy-efficient, exterior insulation and finish systems.
VINNAPAS® 828 ND is a cellulose ether stabilized dispersion based on vinyl chloride, ethylene and vinyl acetate. It displays good compatibility with cement and high compatibility with various pigments and fillers. Noteworthy, too, is that the dispersion is based on polyvinyl chloride, which gives this product its fire resistance and makes it ideal for use in exterior insulation and finish systems. VINNAPAS® 828 ND thus has a very broad spectrum of application for facades.
With its two new grades, VINNAPAS® LL 5048 H and VINNAPAS® LL 4042 H, WACKER has rounded off its portfolio in the area of hydrophobic dispersible copolymer powders for the construction industry that are based purely on vinyl acetate and ethylene. Both powders have a glass transition temperature of about -7°C and are ideal for highly flexible formulations for fassades.
Since both powders show excellent bonding to EPS tiles, they are ideal for use in energy-saving exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS). For instance, they can be used together with a SILRES® silicone resin plaster to produce long-lasting, robust and highly flexible facade protection.

Alpha Silanes for Environmentally Safe Adhesives and Sealants

Munich, February 9, 2011 – WACKER will be presenting VINNAPAS® EAF 68 at the upcoming European Coatings Show (ECS) to be held from March 29 – 31 in Nuremberg. There are two reasons for this new development. On one hand, the market is looking increasingly for flooring adhesives that contain a minimum of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). On the other, the use of alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs, nonionic surfactants) in the manufacture of adhesives is increasingly being restricted.
Systemaufbau eines WDVS
Hybrid liquid membranes for sealing flat surfaces and waterproofing: GENIOSIL® W is virtually odorless and has no labeling requirements under the German hazardous substances ordinance.
The task is to eliminate APEO-containing substances while matching or even exceeding the quality and performance characteristics of existing binders – such as VINNAPAS® EAF 60, which has been a standard in dispersions for flooring adhesives for 30 years. WACKER has managed to do just that with VINNAPAS® EAF 68, an aqueous dispersion based on the monomers vinyl acetate, ethylene and acrylate.
The new dispersion has excellent technical properties and improves the dimensional stability of bonded flexible floor coverings. It also exhibits good adhesion to various substrates and an excellent price/performance ratio compared to alternative technologies such as acrylates.
Therefore, VINNAPAS® EAF 68 polymer dispersion is an ideal universal binder for hard-to-bond floor coverings, ranging from linoleum and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to carpets. Due to its fine balance of adhesion and cohesion, the product also acts as an adhesion promoter, so that it can be added to VINNAPAS® VAE-based adhesives for paper and packaging applications.
GENIOSIL® STP-E: Turbo-charged, tin-free Adhesives
The future belongs to adhesives offering the combination of strength and elasticity needed for a broad range of challenging applications. WACKER has developed its GENIOSIL® STP-E Technology especially for this class of adhesives. The technology is based on alpha silanes, which are extremely reactive. Their high reactivity can be exploited to produce new kinds of fast-curing, one-component adhesives and sealants.
The alpha effect even permits formulation of totally tin-free systems – a technological leap in user safety. Adhesives formulated with GENIOSIL® STP-E possess outstanding mechanical properties. They do not require labeling, and can be formulated without plasticizers and solvents. GENIOSIL® STP-E is used in numerous adhesive formulations, e.g. in the automotive sector, in container construction and for bonding parquet floors.
WACKER also uses GENIOSIL® STP-E prepolymers in the preparation of a new range of adhesives and sealants sold under the name GENIOSIL® N. The product line boasts a large selection of ready-formulated products. These range from highly elastic sealants (GENIOSIL® N25 and N35) to the mirror glue, GENIOSIL® N45, and the high-strength, plasticizer-free adhesive, GENIOSIL® N70. The crystal-clear adhesive and sealant, GENIOSIL® N35C, is used wherever seams and bonded joints are not to be seen, such as in furniture and display cabinets.
Applications for GENIOSIL® N hybrid adhesives and sealants range from crystal clear, highly-elastic sealants through to high-bond-strength assembly adhesives. The high-strengh adhesive, GENIOSIL® N70, is plasticizer-free.
GENIOSIL® W: Binders for solvent-free Adhesives
At the ECS 2011, WACKER will also present a new liquid sealant technology for the construction industry. The product, marketed under the name GENIOSIL® W, is based on special alpha-silane-terminated hybrid polymers which combine the benefits of polyurethane and silicones in a single product. With the aid of this hybrid technology, WACKER has already successfully developed a new generation of binders for solvent-free parquet adhesives and highly elastic industrial adhesives.
GENIOSIL® W also makes use of this alpha-silane technology. The silane-crosslinked product forms a stable, adhesive-free sealing membrane on its surface. Though this membrane is water-tight, it remains vapor-permeable. For this reason, moisture can still escape from the substrate after sealing.
GENIOSIL® W is therefore especially suitable for sealing large surfaces such as flat roofs, balconies, patios and basement walls. GENIOSIL® W 90 was developed for use on vertical surfaces. For horizontal surfaces, WACKER offers the self-leveling grades, GENIOSIL® W 180 and GENIOSIL® W 180. These products are ready to use straight from the container and can be applied by brush, roller or airless spraying. They bond to concrete, screed, glass, ceramics and wood, as well as many types of metal.
GENIOSIL® W is UV- and chemically resistant, virtually odorless and – since it is not classified as a dangerous chemical under the German hazardous substances ordinance – has no labeling requirements.

Composites from recycled material

Munich, January 17, 2011 – WACKER offers novel composites for indoor use called natural fiber composites (NFC). This enables the production of, for example, innovative floor and wall coverings made of natural fibers such as cork, leather, wood and slate. WACKER’s booth at BAU 2011, held in Munich in January, was fully equipped with NFC materials – from leather wall coverings to slate-covered seats.
Naturfaser Composites
In a joint project with partner companies, WACKER has developed coverings with innovative properties for floors, walls and furniture. WACKER’s product platform all about processing natural fibers opens up a wide variety of applications, particularly for floor coverings and in the interior-finishing and furniture industries, as well as automotive coatings.
Combined with VINNEX® powder binders based on vinyl acetate/ethylene (VAE) copolymers, these composites are made into slate-cork flooring that, for example, warms the feet and, thanks to a click-lock system, is easy to install. Plus, the new natural-fiber composites enable furniture and floor coverings to be produced from recycled scrap leather.
Cork from Production Scraps as Raw Material for Floor Coverings
The new slate-cork floorings based on natural cork, Indian slate and VINNEX® binder feature a millimeter-thin, slate-sheet surface whose reverse side is a thin and warming cork layer to balance out unevenness in the stone. This flooring is created by first taking cork, which is obtained from production scraps, combining it with WACKER’s VINNEX® powder binder and processing this blend into pellets known as cork polymer composites (CPCs). These are then rolled into cork-polymer sheets and simultaneously bonded to the wafer-thin slate. The cork-slate composite is then glued to a wood fiberboard provided with a click-lock system. This makes the cork/natural stone flooring easy to install – without any joints – just like ready-to-install parquet flooring.
The novel floor covering has numerous advantages: the cork layer on the underside of the slate provides a nice foot-warming effect, and makes walking on it more comfortable. Moreover, the insulating cork fibers dampen the sound of footsteps. And finally, the stone surface is fireproof, very stable and hard-wearing, making it perfect for entrances, lobbies (e.g. hotels) and areas around hearths, stoves and open fireplaces.
Leather Sheets from Cutting Scraps Processed into Workable Materials
Plus, it is possible to treat leather-processing scraps and convert these into workable materials with the help of VINNEX® powder binders. The recycled leather can be used to manufacture, for example, durable floor tiles. To this end, the cutting waste from the leather industry is compressed to pellets and processed with VINNEX® to yield leather sheeting.
A specially adapted calendering process creates leather-polymer sheeting just one millimeter thin, in rolls roughly 1.70 meters wide. Potential applications include furniture and wall coverings, as well as panels used in car interiors (for side trims or center consoles, for instance).
Recycling Renewable Resources
Key features of the new natural fiber composites include recyclability, value-added marketing of scrap materials, and energy-efficient thermoplastic processing. Together with its partner companies, WACKER offers a complete project platform revolving around natural fibers and, in so doing, is fueling the trend toward sustainable development by recycling renewable resources. The new materials help to conserve resources and economize raw-material use. After all, these are based on renewable raw materials such as wood, cork and leather whose processing allows recycled residual materials.

REACH: WACKER completes first stage

Munich, December 16, 2010 – The Munich-based chemical company has completed the first phase of substance registration in compliance with REACH, the current European chemical regulation. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) confirmed the receipt of 85 substance dossiers and issued registration numbers for each substance.
Reach News
WACKER has thus met the first registration deadlines set by REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals). These substances may now be produced within, or imported into, the EU without restriction.
WACKER submitted its first technical substance dossier to the ECHA in March 2009. Prior to expiration of the November 30, 2010 deadline for phase-in substances as of annually-produced quantities of 1,000 metric tons, the chemical company has submitted a total of 85 substance dossiers.
“All of the substances listed were submitted to the ECHA and are now registered. Thus, we have fully met our obligations for the first phase of REACH registration,” says WACKER Executive Board member Auguste Willems. “Delivering these reports on time is an important milestone for us. In the EU, it ensures that we can continue manufacturing or importing these substances and the products made from them.”
The first step on the long road to REACH registration came at the end of 2008, when the company preregistered each of the substances it produces in quantities greater than one metric ton per year. For the subsequent REACH stages, WACKER is now preparing more than 250 further substance dossiers. The company has calculated the total cost of REACH compliance to be around €30 million by 2018.

WACKER RELIEF FUND: New Projects in Haiti and Pakistan

Munich, December 13, 2010 – True to the principle of “helping people to help themselves”, WACKER’s relief fund is supporting new projects in Haiti and Pakistan that are improving the life chances of the victims of natural disasters. The focus is on education for children and young people.
The earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010 ranks as the most severe on record in North and South America. The United Nations estimates that it left 300,000 people dead, 300,000 injured and 1.2 million homeless. Even before this natural disaster, Haiti was a poor country – and the earthquake survivors are still battling the ravages of hunger and disease. In response to the Caribbean country’s dire situation, Wacker Chemie AG’s Executive Board donated an initial €50,000 and pledged to match all employee donations to WACKER’s relief fund for Haiti. To date, WACKER employees have contributed over € 38,000 to the relief fund. In total, the foundation has made over €125,000 available to Haiti.
The WACKER Relief Fund has now selected a project that gives young people in impoverished Haiti prospects beyond immediate relief in the aftermath of the earthquake. The project partner is the relief organization “Don Bosco Dritte Welt”. That organization, with its mission to “help young people to succeed in life,” has been active in Haiti for 75 years, concentrating on working with street children and providing education and vocational training in the slums.
WACKER’s relief fund is assisting the organization with the rebuilding of the elementary and high school in Gressier, which was destroyed by the earthquake. The new building has an earthquake-proof, cyclone-resistant, handicapped-accessible design. It will help provide children and young people from the poverty-stricken area with a good education, regular meals and educational and psychological support to overcome the traumas. The new school will offer around 350 places for boys and girls aged six to 18 years. These children are from an economically very weak background, among them many orphans and street children. WACKER's relief fund will continue to support the project for four years and provide financing for two classes.
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Aid Project in Pakistan
Torrential monsoon rains in northwest Pakistan in July 2010 caused widespread flooding accompanied by mudslides and landslides. Houses and crops were destroyed and thousands killed. Over 20 million people are believed to have been directly affected by this catastrophe. WACKER’s relief fund has joined forces with Malteser International to rebuild an elementary school in Marghuzar in the Swat district . The children of Marghuzar currently have no choice but to attend class out in the open because their school was washed away by the flooding. Malteser International is erecting a new school building to house around 250 girls.
A German architect attended the site in the fall to take stock of the situation and assess the plans. The new school building will be designed to withstand the elements better. Other important aspects are an improved drinking-water supply and child-friendly sanitation. The WACKER Executive Board has donated €50,000 for the rebuilding of the elementary school in Marghuzar to WACKER’s relief fund.
Aid Project in Sri Lanka
WACKER’s relief fund has been supporting tsunami victims in Sri Lanka since 2005, including by rebuilding a school in the village of Kosgoda. In partnership with the “Future for Children” association and the Augsburg Order of Malta Relief Corps, WACKER’s relief fund has financed four school classes with over 50 pupils. That includes the costs for six teachers, school uniforms, teaching materials and a warm meal for the children. In the Advent 2009 fundraising campaign, employees had raised a total of €23,000 towards keeping the four classes in Kosgoda going. This Advent, fundraising events will once again be taking place at WACKER locations. The Executive Board will match every donation made by its employees.
About the WACKER Relief Fund
The WACKER Relief Fund was established in reaction to December 2004’s devastating tsunami. Its board of directors and board of trustees work on an honorary basis, supplying unbureaucratic and long-term assistance to the victims of natural disasters. The relief fund focuses on long-term projects, providing educational opportunities and helping those affected to help themselves. The WACKER Relief Fund currently finances projects in China, Haiti, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Wacker Chemie AG has always made a point of matching its employees’ donations. You’ll find more information on the WACKER Relief Fund online under www.wacker.com, WACKER Group, Sustainability.

The Ark in Munich Inaugurates Youth Services –
WACKER Continues to be a Strong Partner

Fourth major donation from WACKER presented at Summer Festival

Munich, July 6, 2010 – It was four years ago that the Christian charity organization, "Die Arche" (The Ark) opened its center in Munich for children between the ages of 5 and 11. Many of them are now teenagers and wish to remain in the Ark program. Now that will be possible, thanks in part to the fourth donation over € 100,000 handed over today by Supervisory Board Chairman, Dr. Peter-Alexander Wacker, and CEO Dr. Rudolf Staudigl.
The children at "The Ark" come from socially disadvantaged families based in Munich's Moosach district. At home, very few of them get a warm meal or help with their homework. They don't even get the chance to play with adults or participate in outings. The Ark employees, led by Tim Rauchhaus, give the children what they lack at home. For years now, the center has concentrated its efforts on children of grade school age. There was neither space nor staff for teenagers – but that was in the past. After already hiring an additional staff member to work with teenagers last year, the teenager sector was opened today in the presence of Munich’s second mayor, Christine Strobl.
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Handing over the fourth major WACKER donation over €100,000 to "Die Arche" (The Ark) in Munich
After school, the teenagers can do their homework or surf the internet in their own pre-fab building, and, in an over 100 square meter club room (called the "Soul Club") they can play foosball (table football) or just relax. "For now, our program is limited to 16 year-olds or younger, but we will raise the age limit step by step," said social worker Tim Rauchhaus. And in three years time, the youth center should be able to move into a permanent building of brick and stone. But until that time, the pre-fab will serve as a meeting place for the children and teenagers.
At the youth center opening ceremony, WACKER donated €100,000 for the fourth time in conjunction with The Ark's summer festival. Dr. Peter-Alexander Wacker (Supervisory Board Chairman) and Dr. Rudolf Staudigl (CEO) presented the check today to the organization's founder, Bernd Siggelkow, and its director, Tim Rauchhaus. "We should like to do our part to give these kids perspectives for their future," said Dr. Wacker, emphasizing the company's commitment. Dr. Staudigl encouraged the youth to work hard for their education and invited them to visit WACKER so that they can get an overview of the various types of occupations available at a chemical company. "Perhaps we'll be able to welcome a few of you later as fellow employees. That would make me very happy!" Dr. Staudigl exclaimed to the youth.
In addition to financial support, many WACKER employees volunteered to help ensure that the Ark's summer festival was a success. Thus, children could carry out their own chemistry experiments with the help of WACKER chemists, molding coins out of silicone rubber, for example, or making gooey "slime."

Safety Award for WACKER POLYMERS

Award of Honor from American Paint & Coatings Manufacturers’ Organization

Calvert City – Representing the American paint and coatings industry, the NPCA/FSCT recently presented WACKER POLYMERS, Business Unit Dispersions, with an “Award of Honor” for its superior workplace safety performance.
To be considered for the award, member companies had to show that no work days were lost through work-related accidents over a five-year period. They were also required to submit other safety data as part of the Annual Safety Award Program.
These data are valuable to all member companies in benchmarking the effectiveness of their workplace safety programs against others in the industry. “NPCA/FSCT operates the program in the hopes that it will provide information that can be utilized by the association and its members to promote industry’s commitment to workplace safety,” states the organization’s press release.
In March 2009, two separate organizations representing the American paint and coatings industry – the National Paint and Coatings Association (NPCA) and the Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology (FSCT) – merged to form the NPCA/FSCT. The merger made the NPCA/FSCT the single trade association for American paint and coatings manufacturers and their suppliers.
The architectural paint manufacturer’s we supply with products from Calvert City are household names in the U.S. They expect not only that their products are produced to high levels of quality and EHS standards, but the raw materials used for their paints are as well. “Our customers value our commitment to the markets we serve and the secure supply position we offer,“ Diane Terry says, Director Strategic Marketing and Development for L-D. “Focus on EHS is a key part of ensuring security of supply.”

Intermediate-Exam Awards Sponsored

Every year, the Faculty of Biochemical and Chemical Engineering at Dortmund’s Technical University awards two prizes to its top “Vordiplom” (intermediate, or “stage 1” exam) students. WACKER has decided to sponsor both awards – each worth €750 – and thus expand its partnership with the university.
Julian Treese and Andreas Hofmann received the awards for best “intermediate exam” in biochemical engineering and chemical engineering, respectively. Both earned a grade point average of 2.1 (scale from 1.0 – the best – to 5.0.). At the awards ceremony, Corporate Engineering’s Dr. Markus Bauer stressed that sponsorship of these awards shows just how important young engineering talent is to WACKER.
From left: Markus Bauer from WACKER’s Corporate Engineering, award winners Julian Treese and Andreas Hofmann, and Prof. Gabriele Sadowski, Dean of the Faculty of Biochemical and Chemical Engineering at TU Dortmund.
Wacker Chemie AG is one of the few companies to have a large corporate engineering department of its own, Bauer added. “At WACKER, we are very proud of the fact that there’s no need to buy additional engineering services. We have the expertise right here.”
WACKER has close ties to TU Dortmund. For two years now, the company has cooperated with the Faculty of Biochemical and Chemical Engineering to organize project-planning courses and excursions to the Burghausen site. “The enormous popularity of this initiative among students and instructors shows that we have developed a groundbreaking and mutually beneficial model for cooperation,” Bauer said.

Environmentally Sound Polymer Dispersion for China

WACKER Showcases VINNAPAS® EF 718 at Chinacoat 2009

At Chinacoat 2009, WACKER presented a new product for the Chinese market – VINNAPAS® EF 718. This water-based dispersion enables the formulation of ultra low-VOC and low-odor interior paints.
VINNAPAS® EF 718 is the result of close cooperation with Chinese customers and targets the mid-end, odorless interior-paint market. This represents a new advance in vinyl acetate-ethylene (VAE) polymer technology and was developed specifically to meet China’s regional needs. VINNAPAS® EF 718 is an aqueous dispersion of a vinyl acetate-ethylene (VAE) copolymer. It was developed as a low-VOC, APEO-free binder for environmentally sound and low-odor paints. It offers excellent performance including scrub resistance, early water resistance and low odor, and can be used as a cost competitive replacement for a variety of technologies, including vinyl acrylics and styrene acrylics.
As a binder for architectural coatings, VINNAPAS® EF 718 offers an excellent balance of properties, plus the possibility to formulate low-odor paints at ultra low VOC levels (<10 g/l). It can also be formulated over a broad range of pigment volume concentrations (PVCs). It is an ideal alternative binder for product technologies currently used in China. VINNAPAS® EF 718 requires no coalescent to form a film because of the “self-coalescence” of VAE copolymers. This provides a polymer that requires no co-solvent to form a film and therefore can be formulated into low-odor, low-VOC paints.
The new polymer dispersion offers improved thickener response over other VAE and vinyl-acrylic commercial products. Improved thickener response results in the ability to reduce total thickener requirements, thereby allowing paint formulators to cut raw-material costs. Although relatively new to China, VAE dispersions are gaining broad acceptance in the architectural coatings industry because of their obvious advantages in the production of environmentally sound, low-odor paints. As the global leader in VAE technology, WACKER is well positioned to provide polymers that meet the challenging environmental demands of the coatings industry.
WACKER exhibited at Booth E21-24 in Hall E3. Chinacoat 2009 was held in Shanghai from November 18 to 20.

Satisfied Managers

Munich – WACKER managers have a high opinion of their employer – in the annual survey by the Association of Executives in the German Chemical Industry (VAA), WACKER took an impressive second place with a grade of 2.48. In total, the survey evaluated 26 companies from the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as medical equipment manufacturers.
In compiling its survey on executive attitudes, the VAA asked 2,000 managerial staff to evaluate their employers. The participants were asked questionsabout corporate culture, working conditions, career opportunities, and personal feelings and attitudes. By taking second place in the latest VAA survey, WACKER improved on its 2008 position, an already impressive third place. This year, only the Boehringer Ingelheim pharmaceutical group finished somewhat better than WACKER, with a grade of 2.41.
“In a crisis, dependable, wellestablished German companies with a long-term focus become much more attractive for managers,” says the Heidrick & Struggles personnel consultancy, commenting on the survey results in Germany’s “manager magazin.”
The VAA – the survey’s instigator – represents the interests of about 27,000 managers from all areas in the German chemical and pharmaceutical industries, and related sectors. The organization emphasized that the severe recession had not broken the resolve of management in the chemical industry, even though, as an export-oriented sector, it had been badly hit by the economic crisis.
“Key personnel remain loyal to their companies even in difficult times. They stay calm and cautious, and continue to shoulder responsibility – for their colleagues and for their company.”

Pyrogenic Silica Completes REACH Registration

Helsinki – WACKER has succeeded in registering its pyrogenic silica in the REACH “silicon dioxide” substance group, as announced by the European Chemicals Agency ECHA in March.
The agency confirmed that theregistration documents were complete as per REACH. WACKER is thus one of the first companies authorized to continue manufacturing, importing and marketing pyrogenic silica without restriction.
In preregistering its pyrogenic silica (HDK®) back in early June 2008, WACKER was laying the groundwork for prompt completion. REACH registration was, in this case, based on a comprehensive substance dossier prepared by an industrial consortium with WACKER’s active help. The dossier contains a wide range of physicochemical data on this substance group, including the results of the company’s own toxicological, epidemiological and ecotoxicological studies.
WACKER manufactures HDK® by the hydrolysis of volatile chlorosilanes in an oxyhydrogen flame. That produces a highpurity amorphous silicon dioxide powder, known as pyrogenic silica.
HDK® applications include rheologycontrol of coatings, printing inks, adhesives and sealants. HDK® is also used in reinforcingsilicone elastomers, polishing silicon wafers and as an extremely effective thermal insulating material. It is also a thickener and flow enhancer in personal hygiene products such as toothpaste, and in foods and pharmaceuticals.

Lighting For Tomorrow

Alexander Wacker Innovation Award 2009: WACKER Honors Researcher for Developing Novel, High-Performance Optical Silicones

Munich, July 23, 2009 – The German religious charity, “Die Arche” (The Ark) has long been a home for children in Munich-Moosach. They can get things here that they lack at home – daily hot meals and tutoring, as well as games and outings. But what happens when these children become teenagers? Until now, the Arche has had to send many of them home due to a lack of space and staffing. That is now changing thanks to a third donation of €100,000, which Supervisory Board Chairman Dr. Peter-Alexander Wacker and CEO Dr. Rudolf Staudigl handed over today.
Marketed under the LUMISIL® brand name, these new silicone elastomers allow – for the first time – the production of optical lenses for light-emitting diodes (LEDs) directly on an LED chip. This is accomplished in a single step without any complex injection molding or replication processes. The simultaneous shaping and mounting of LED optics is exceptionally efficient, making the technology a breakthrough for the cost-efficient mass production of LEDs. This year’s €10,000 innovation award focused on product innovation.
“LEDs have enormous potential because of their energy efficiency. Accordingly, there are huge opportunities for growth in this market,” said Executive Board member Dr. Wilhelm Sittenthaler in his laudatory speech. “We are expecting annual growth rates of 20%. So, this innovation promises to be a complete economic success for WACKER.”
Dr. Wilhelm Sittenthaler (WACKER Executive Board member and personnel director) presenting the certificate and medal of the “Alexander Wacker Innovation Award 2009” to Dr. Philipp Müller (right) at the re search symposium in Burghausen. demonstrated.
Light-emitting diodes are considered the light source of the future because they are highly luminous yet consume only a fraction of the energy required by conventional light bulbs or energy-saving lamps. While modern, high-performance LEDs are around 10 times more efficient than incandescent light bulbs, they require a lens system to outcouple and diffuse the light emitted by the diode.
The tremendous increase in LED performance within the last few years has meant that traditional organic materials are no longer capable of withstanding the light flux. Since silicone has the necessary thermal and light stability, most modern high-performance LEDs will be manufactured in the future using silicone-based encapsulation and lens materials. There is a drawback, though. Up till now, the shape of the lenses (the lens geometry) could only be produced using difficult injection molding or replication processes.
LUMISIL® silicone elastomers finally make it possible to produce a moldless optical lens directly on an LED chip in a single production step, using a dispensing process. Perfect replication of the lens geometry is accomplished through a novel, UV-activated curing mechanism. The excellent adhesion of LUMISIL® 419 UV even makes it possible to forgo the use of a silicone encapsulant, since, in addition to providing the lens material, it also protects the LED chip. In this manner, LED components with silicone lenses can now be manufactured in very large quantities with comparatively modest plant and process investment. LUMISIL® is already being usedby one of the global leaders in LED manufacturing, where its superb transparency, very good mechanical strength and long-term resistance to extreme UV exposure have been successfully.

Helping others to help themselves

WACKER Relief Fund Supports Tsunami Victims – School Is Running Well – Vocational Training Starts This Year

Kosgoda and Pilane – Since 2005, WACKER’s relief fund (WACKER HILFSFONDS) has donated over €250,000 to helpingSri Lanka’s tsunami victims. The school and vocational training facilities sponsored by WACKER in two villages are finished. Some 50 pupils are preparing for their final exams and, soon, two dozen trainees will start learning a vocation.
“WACKER’s relief fund, the company and its employees have every reason to be proud,” says Peter Hirschmann (a member of the fund’s board of trustees). This spring, he went to see how the two projects were progressing. One of them involves helping torebuild the village of Kosgoda. The last four years saw the erection of a new residential complex comprising 53 homes (for 250 tsunami victims, including many fishermen), two orphanages, several public facilities, vocational workshops and a medical center – as well as four buildings (two financed by our relief fund) for the local school and its 120 pupils.
The project is run by Future for Children and the (Augsburgbased) Malteser relief organization. “We’ve put the funds to good use, giving children the chance of an excellent education and a better life after school,” says Elfriede Süß, who oversees the new complex as Future for Children’s project leader. Kosgoda is also sponsored by UNESCO.
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Classes financed for five years
In 2005, WACKER told the school that the relief fund would finance four classes with 53 pupils for five years. Funding covers six teachers, school uniforms and teaching materials. Contractually, another two years’ financing remains. “Soon, we’ll need new donations so we can continue sponsoring the classes right up to school-leaving exams,” explains Hirschmann. Sadu, the school principal (since early 2006) and a Buddhist monk, is planning another trip to Germany to report on the school’s progress and its future plans. In a second project, WACKER’s relief fund is helping sponsor a “Little Smile” vocational facility in Pilane near Galle. Here, Little Smile runs a students’ hostel and workshops (for traditional Sri Lankan skills). This training center promotes the idea of helping others to help themselves. “The young students are being encouraged to enhance their skills, so they have a sound basis for a career,” adds Hirschmann.
Start of vocational training at Pilane
2007 saw the completion of the new training center’s first building (currently a venue for community workshops and courses). Vocational training is scheduled to start this year, initially for about 25 trainees. The main building – named after WACKER’s relief fund – includes classrooms and administrative offices. “WACKER’s fund was the first to make a lasting commitment to providing training. So, it seemed apt to adopt its name for the main building,” comments Michael Kreitmeir, Little Smile’s chairman. At the center, there are plans to display and sell trainees’ handicraft and art work. In fact, talks are under way with travel agencies about including the center on tour routes, so that it will soon be able to help fund itself by offering guided tours and selling gifts – a perfect example of how to help others help themselves.

Now, Teenagers Have A Home, Too

“Die Arche” can extend its work with teenagers thanks to a third major donation from WACKER

Munich, July 23, 2009 – The German religious charity, “Die Arche” (The Ark) has long been a home for children in Munich-Moosach. They can get things here that they lack at home – daily hot meals and tutoring, as well as games and outings. But what happens when these children become teenagers? Until now, the Arche has had to send many of them home due to a lack of space and staffing. That is now changing thanks to a third donation of €100,000, which Supervisory Board Chairman Dr. Peter-Alexander Wacker and CEO Dr. Rudolf Staudigl handed over today.
Initiated almost three years as a children’s club, the charity has increasingly become a popular venue for teenagers due to a lack of any alternative. Most of them are members of a notorious local gang and have police records. “They are lacking any perspective,” says Tim Rauchhaus, head of the Munich Arche. Only one in four achieves a high-school diploma. They are widely regarded as hopeless cases. But permanent social exclusion is no solution – the Arche should be able to offer them a place of their own. Now, the earthmovers are underway at last: work has started on enlarging the Arche to accommodate teenagers.
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Presentation of the check for the third major donation to the Arche children’s and youth charity in Munich-Moosach today. From left to right: CEO Dr. Rudolf Staudigl, Tim Rauchhaus, head of the Munich Arche, WACKER Supervisory Board Chairman Dr. Peter-Alexander Wacker and Bernd Siggelkow, founder of the Arche.
Initially, the Arche team took care of only about 15-20 teenagers. Now the figure is up to 60, and rising by the week. Demand is enormous. The center is expecting at least 100 teenage visitors by the time the new extension opens. The “Soulclub” is set to serve this number. It should open in January 2010, from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and as late as 10:00 p.m. on Fridays.
It will provide care for 12 to 19-year-olds, including services such as a free lunch, open leisure activities offering sports and music, workshops, outings, summer camps, as well as tutoring and homework assistance and advice on how to apply for jobs. To implement the expanded services, the Arche plans to hire an additional social worker. Over the past year, the Arche was already able to take on a youth social worker with WACKER’s help. After the expansion, a team of three Arche staff members will be available to take care of the teenagers.
When expansion work started, WACKER made its third donation of €100,000. Dr. Peter-Alexander Wacker, longtime CEO and now Supervisory Board chairman, together with CEO Dr. Rudolf Staudigl, handed over the check to Bernd Siggelkow, Arche founder, and Tim Rauchhaus, head of the Munich-based Arche center.
“We can’t stress too highly how important it is that the Arche now provides a home for teenagers, too. It means they don’t just hang around in their spare time or – much worse – join criminal gangs and turn to violence,” said Dr. Peter-Alexander Wacker. “The Arche is very well accepted here in Munich-Moosach. We are very pleased about that. And it is growing. We intend to continue fostering this growth.”
“I share Dr. Wacker’s pleasure at what the Arche has accomplished with our assistance over the past three years,” says Dr. Rudolf Staudigl. “And we stand by our commitment to the Arche, not despite the economic crisis, but rather because of it. WACKER is interested in sustained partnerships. That applies just as much to our business as to our social involvement. That is why we are also planning further activities with the Arche that go beyond our financial commitment.
“At the Arche, we are of course delighted to have such a solid and strong partner in Munich as WACKER, a company that takes its social responsibility seriously,” says Arche-founder Bernd Siggelkow. Last year, WACKER employees helped renovate Arche rooms in their spare time.
And WACKER intends to help the Arche youth choose their occupations. On a visit to WACKER’s Burghausen Vocational Training Center, young people will learn about the exciting career opportunities offered by the chemical industry. In addition, job application advice is available to get them ready to apply for traineeships.

Research Kit for “Die Arche”

Munich – A hot meal everyday and a place to do homework, trips, outings and garden parties are taken for granted by many children. Yet, for socially disadvantaged kids cared for by the Munich charity “Die Arche” (the Ark), these would not be possible without WACKER’s donations. to encourage the kids’ scientific interest, WACKER has now provided “die Arche” with a research kit.
“Die Arche” is a community project operating in several german cities. It primarily cares for children aged 5-12 from socially disadvantaged families. An increasing number of teenagers, though, are also showing up at “Die Arche.” In Munich, the center draws some 80-100 children and teenagers off the streets every day and offers them a hot meal, help with homework, tutoring and fun activities. It also provides family help, advice and counseling – all vitally important to this part of Munich as a youth gang with criminal tendencies is busy recruiting youngsters here. For the last two years, “Die Arche” has been able to provide a better alternative by offering companionship and exciting things to do.
ARCHE - Research Kit
Joachim Zdzieblo (right), head of Public Affairs, presents a research kit to Markus Trapper of “die Arche” in Munich.
The Munich operation is housed in a prefab, which was renovated inside by the “network of new WACKER employees” last spring. WACKER’s donations are funding a second prefab and enabling staff to organize care for the growing number of teenagers. WACKER has provided generous cash and noncash donations over the last couple of years and has now donated a research kit (including information cards and experiment materials) that introduces kids to the world of weather.
WACKER also financed a compact Science Lab course for Markus trapper, an educational social worker who primarily cares for children aged 5 to 11. Science Lab (a private-sector initiative for children and kindergarten/school teachers) was established in 2002 to remedy the inadequate coverage of science and technology in german kindergartens and elementary schools. Its aim is to introduce children to the sciences early in their lives, when they are still at an inquisitive age. Courses were developed for various age groups, starting with four-year-olds. In tandem with the children’s courses, an educational approach was also devised to show kindergarten and school teachers the best way to tackle science-related topics and encourage children’s interest.
WACKER has supported the Kindergarten Science project since 2006. It also finances the purchase of research kits and 1-day Science Lab training courses for kindergarten staff. together with WACKER, numerous other well-known companies and foundations provide support for this educational initiative. You can visit their website (only available in German) at www.science-lab.de .

Assistance for earthquake victims

Zhongjiang – WACKER’s relief fund is helping to rebuild an elementary school in the village of Fujia in central China with a RMB 1 million (€112,000) donation. The school will be renamed “Fujia Village Wacker Primary School” and will carry this name for at least 30 years. An agreement to this effect has now been made with Zhongjiang district’s Red Cross.
Collapsed houses, devastated cities, tens of thousands dead: the worst earthquake in 30 years hit China on May 12, 2008, engulfing Sichuan province in chaos and grief. WACKER’s Executive Board donated RMB 500,000 (€50,000) to the relief fund (WACKER HILFSFONDS) as emergency aid for the earthquake victims. On top of this, the company matched every donation that its employees made.
These Fujia children are being taught in a neighboring farmhouse for the moment. Thanks to WACKER’s relief fund, they should be able to move back to their school this summer.
The earthquake badly damaged the elementary school in Fujia village. Last November, WACKER Greater China’s Nancy Liang and Robin Xu visited the school for the first time to get an idea of the damage. The village lies some 1,500 km south west of Beijing and one and a half hours from Chengdu, the provincial capital.
The school used to have eight classes and 240 students. But since the earthquake struck, the badly damaged rooms cannot be used anymore. Grades five and six now attend another school, which is a four-kilometer walk away. The younger students are taught in the houses of neighboring farmers.
Following their visit, WACKER’s two Chinese employees gave an emotional account of how the children in Fujia seemed very optimistic despite their current hardship. With its donation, WACKER’s relief fund hopes to ensure they receive the good education they are justifiably dreaming of. According to current plans, the school’s restoration should be complete by late August. Apart from money, WACKER also wants to donate materials. Silicone resin emulsion paints and silicone sealants, for example, might come in useful for the reconstruction work.
Fujia is not the only Chinese school project that WACKER actively supports. Beside numerous donations in kind, WACKER Greater China has helped establish libraries for eleven elementary schools in the Qimen district (Anhui province) and for one in the Liannan Yao district (Guangdong province).

Outstanding Safety Work by the Korean VINNAPAS® Producer
A Safe Victory for Ulsan

Ulsan – The safety record of WACKER POLYMERS’ Ulsan site in Korea has been declared outstanding by the Korean safety inspectorate KOSHA. So outstanding, in fact, that the inspectorate has now recognized the site with an exclusive safety award. All the site’s employees contributed to this success through their strong commitment to occupational health and safety.
After receiving the award for eight accidentfree years, the employees at Ulsan are now aiming to complete an accident- Free decade.
The Korean Occupational Safety and Health Administration (KOSHA) recognized Ulsan’s eight accident-free years in January 2009. In appreciation of this excellent record, the VAE (vinyl acetate/ethylene emulsion) production plant was presented with a certificate, a commemorative plaque and a flag.
To achieve its eight accidentfree years, the Ulsan plant prioritized safety above all other aspects. Plant manager Ki-Hong Cho and his team take a keen interest in the many occupational health and safety activities. For example, it is obligatory for all employees at the site to complete a monthly safety quiz and undergo regular safety training. Moreover, regular plant inspections with thorough safety checks, as well as rescue drills, are performed. Everyone is invited to become involved in the ongoing optimization of safety routines by taking part in the employee suggestion scheme.
Han-Hyung (Matt) Cho (managing director, Wacker Chemicals Korea) congratulates the entire team on its latest success: “Well done! Keep up the good work!” The Ulsan site already outscored numerous reputable companies in 2008 to earn the “EH&S Gold Award.” This was presented by the Korean Ministry of Labor to distinguish the site’s outstanding environment, health and safety work.

Technical Center Dubai: Syria opts for VINNAPAS®

Damascus and Dubai – Syria is the latest country where WACKER has started promoting climate-specific and energy-saving construction practices. Syria’s rising energy costs and local climatic conditions increase the importance of efficient exterior insulation. Several Syrian construction projects have already involved our Dubai technical center, which advises on the use of exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS).
The better a building’s insulation is, the less energy is needed for heating and cooling. WACKER research shows that effective exterior insulation can reduce a building’s energy consumption by up to 60%. Conversely, good insulation also avoids overheated buildings, reducing the energy consumed by air-conditioners. These two thermal-insulation aspects play a key role, because Syria has dry, hot summers and relatively cold winters – the mountains often get snow. All year round, night temperatures plummet, especially in desert regions.
In cooperation with Syria’s National Energy Research Center (NERC), our Dubai technical center completed its first EIFS projects.
A building loses most of its energy through its exterior. So, effective insulation is one of the simplest and most practical ways of saving energy. WACKER’s VINNAPAS® polymer powders are indispensable for modern, energy-saving EIFS, since the expanded polystyrene foam panels (typically used for insulation) do not form a reliable bond with unmodified cement. However, adhesive mortars modified with just a few percent of VINNAPAS® can form stable and permanent bonds with polystyrene panels. Moreover, hydrophobic VINNAPAS® polymer powders reduce the water absorption of the overall system. As a result, the insulating system offers greater durability and much more resistance to weathering and wear than its unmodified counterparts. VINNAPAS® also improves adhesion to substrates, ranging from concrete to brick and even old plaster.
The Dubai technical center’s experts explain energy-efficient construction practices and emphasize the importance of quality standards to planning, material selection and construction. Know-how transfer, in turn, improves the center’s dealings with decision-makers at companies and regulatory bodies. Since autumn 2008, the Dubai technical center has been working with Syria’s National Energy Research Center (NERC) on the professional use of EIFS. Their collaboration aims at extending internationally recognized construction-sector quality standards to Syria. Our customer Hussam Shaal, a Syrian construction firm, was contracted by NERC on various occasions to install EIFS from WACKER. The dry-mix mortar for the systems comes from SSCM, a company headed by Ayman Safadi. After the initial projects, NERC intends to expand its EIFS activities.
The 2006 to 2010 five-year plan launched by Syria’s President Bashar Al-Assad envisages extensive construction projects to stimulate infrastructure, tourism and housing. This comprehensive plan has produced initial results. Syria’s construction industry is clearly growing. The housing boom is due not only to population growth (up some 2.3% in 2007, according to Germany Trade & Invest), but also to the influx of people from, for example, Iraq. Syria’s central location in the eastern Mediterranean between Turkey to the north and the Arab world to the south explains the country’s heavy spending on transportation systems – expanding ports, airports and the road and rail networks.

Calvert City

“Nothing is more essential to sustainability than plant safety” – at Wacker Chemical Corporation’s (WCC) Calvert City plant that’s not just a slogan, it’s a way of life. Now, the US site is celebrating a proud record of ten accident-free years since it joined the WACKER Group.
The record is even higher if you take into account the years leading up to the WACKER acquisition. There have been no accidents in powder production since it started operations in 1988 – over 20 years ago. And dispersion production has not witnessed an accident since 1983 – a 25-year record.
Safety awareness pays off: the employees at the Calvert City site in the US had no accidents to report during their ten years as part of the WACKER Group – over 3,700 days.
“Safety takes top priority in everything we do – it is an essential part of every individual’s daily routine,” emphasizes site manager Mary Beth Hudson. In Calvert City, around 100 employees operate two of WACKER POLYMERS plants. They manufacture VAE dispersions (vinyl acetate/ethylene emulsions) and dispersible polymer powders. Their jobs include producing mixes, unloading bulk materials from trucks and rail cars, transferring materials, filling liquid bulk trucks, rail tank cars and flexitanks, and packaging powders in bags ranging from 25 to 900 kg. Occupational safety takes top priority in all production phases. New facilities or expansion projects are reviewed for safety; from conception through design, to start-up and, of course, subsequently during ongoing operations. Each employee must comply with the guidelines in Polymer Safety Process (PSP) and take part in the many different safety-related activities. The safety program also emphasizes the importance of safety at home, for example with programs on defensive driving and preventive programs for protection against hearing damage.
The activities are rounded out with a variety of community initiatives, such as involvement in the “community advisory team” (CAT), the “emergency response team” or the “good neighbor night.” Companies taking part in the “Calvert Industrial Mutual Aid Program” (CIMAP) support one another in an emergency. WACKER’s Calvert City site is also a member of the “Marshall County Local Emergency Planning Committee” (LEPC), which issues information, and implements prevention measures and emergency assistance for chemical companies in Marshall County. The excellent safety record of the Calvert City plant has been recognized by several industry and government organizations, including the American Chemistry Council and the Kentucky Safety Council. Calvert City was recently distinguished at the Kentucky Governor’s Health and Safety Conference as the site with the best safety record and the most accident-free days in Kentucky.
Edwin K. McIntyre, Safety Manager at Calvert City recently received special recognition for his 33 years of unyielding commitment and dedication to the field of occupational safety and health. The Kentucky Safety and Health Network, Inc. recently elected him “Annual Outstanding Individual in Occupational Safety and Health.”

Outstanding Safety Effort at Japanese Silicones Site

Akeno – AWS’s Akeno site in Japan has an excellent safety record. In public recognition of this, the regional government (Ibaraki Prefecture) has honored AWS with a prestigious safety award.
Wacker Asahikasei Silicone Co., Ltd. (AWS) was founded in 1999 as a joint venture between WACKER and Asahi Kasei Corporation. The company currently has 84 employees and is regarded as one of Japan’s leading specialty silicones producers.
Hiroyuki Morohashi (right, Akeno site manager) receives the prestigious safety award from Haruo Uematsu (head of Ibaraki Prefecture’s Department of Commerce, Industry and Labor).
Site Manager Hiroyuki Morohashi stresses that “safety always comes first at work.” He and his colleagues were overjoyed when the regional government commended them for their constant
focus on safety.
The site’s Responsible Care® committee played a key role in this achievement. Made up of departmental heads and safety coordinators, it convenes monthly to discuss safety goals, performance and future activities.
Always focused on safety, committee members report on any near-miss (“hiyari hatto”) situations and present countermeasures devised in collaboration with employees. Akeno has set its sights on reaching a remarkable 5,000 accident-free days next year.

Open House at Wacker Chemical Corporation (WCC)

Adrian – Driving rain provided the backdrop for Wacker Chemical Corporation’s open House this autumn. Not allowing wet weather to dampen their spirits, the organizers and 1,200 guests adopted “singing in the Rain” as their theme song and made the day just as entertaining as the famous Broadway musical.
Alongside the American-German festivities, WCC’s Open House offered so many fascinating insights that the numerous guests of all ages simply forgot about the dismal weather.
Plant tours introduced the manufacturing facilities, distribution center and technical center to visitors keenly interested in discovering how products are safely and efficiently produced, packaged and readied for distribution. Most visitors were particularly impressed with the application and testing laboratories and surprised by the huge range of applications for WACKER products: from personal care to the hightech aerospace sector – as well as numerous customer-specific solutions. “Our guests learned a lot about WACKER and the varied industries to which it supplies such a broad array of products,” explained Bill Toth, head of Corporate Communications at WCC.
It’s incredible how many things are made from WACKER products. Visitors of all ages were astonished by the variety of application areas.
There were also plenty of opportunities to enjoy a relaxed and entertaining day with family, friends and neighbors – and make new acquaintances, too.
Special highlight: a motor scooter as the main raffle prize. Proceeds from raffle-ticket sales – 2.000 US-$ – were donated to “Relay for Life,” a charitable organization supporting the fight against breast cancer. Several WCC employees have been actively supporting efforts by “Relay for Life” to support cancer victims and prevent cancer for over ten years.

GIRLS’ DAY AT BURGHAUSEN VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER: TECHNOLOGY IS FOR GIRLS!

Burghausen – Many people, old and young alike, still view such occupations as indus-trial mechanic or automation engineer as exclusively male domains. At Girls’ Day 2008, 126 girls from Bavaria’s Altötting and Rottal-Inn districts set the record straight.
BBiW Girls Day 2008
Girl power at the BBiW Girls’ Day
The young highschool students attended the seventh Girls’ Day hosted by the Burghausen Vocational Training Center (BBiW). They carefully checked out jobs ranging from chemical technician and automation engineer to industrial mechanic and mechatronics engineer. Their verdict: such professions definitely appeal to girls.
Female trainees provided students with first-hand accounts of how exciting and versatile science and technology really are. The girls had lots of fun on the chemistry front, finding out about processing plants and using the ultramodern plant simulator. In the metalworking unit, they gained enough practical experience to see that technical and hands-on jobs can also be “typical girls’ work.” The students approached their tasks competently – for example, they enthusiastically crafted small boxes by cutting and removing sections of copper sheet and imprinting their names.
BBiW director Josef Schlehaider was delighted by the students’ great interest: “This familiarization event aims to help participants choose future careers. We would be extremely pleased to soon see some of them return as BBiW trainees.” The young women’s conclusion: “We’ve gained fascinating insights here today, and definitely recommend Girls’ Day!”
This year’s Girls’ Day takes place on April 23, 2009. More information (in German only) is available at www.girls-day.de .

ARK: WACKER’S 2ND MAJOR DONATION ENABLES TEENAGERS TO INCREASINGLY BENEFIT FROM MUNICH CHARITY’S GLIMMERS OF HOPE

Munich – Vacation trips, garden parties, hot meals and a place to do homework are taken for granted by many children every day. Yet for Munich kids in the care of a charity called “the Ark,” many of these things would not be possible without donations from WACKER. The charity is now focusing on providing teenagers with greater support – vital in the Munich district that is home to the Ark.
Arche 2008
This April, WACKER issued its second €100,000 check to the Ark (Die Arche – Christliches Kinder- und Jugendwerk e.V.) in Munich-Moosach. “It’s simply unacceptable that many children in Germany are on the streets, without meaningful leisure activities or adult attention. We can’t just look the other way. By supporting the Ark in Munich, we contribute to improving these children’s quality of life and future prospects,” explained Dr. Peter-Alexander Wacker, Supervisory Board chairman at Wacker Chemie, when handing over the company’s second major donation check.
The Ark is a community project focusing on children aged 5-12 from socially disadvantaged families in several German cities. More and more teenagers are visiting the Ark’s facilities. The Ark’s founder and director, Bernd Siggelkow, received the 2008 German Cross of Merit for the huge dedication he and his team have shown in their efforts to help socially disadvantaged families.
In Munich, the Ark draws some 80-100 children and teenagers off the streets every day. The charity offers them hot meals, homework assistance, tutoring and extracurricular activities, as well as family services, advice and counseling. The Ark is popular – teenagers 13-18 are increasingly choosing it as an alternative to hanging out on the streets. To encourage them to turn up, the Ark plans to allocate much of WACKER’s second major donation to youth projects. In September, a young social worker joined the Ark’s Munich team: Ulrike, whose main job is to look after teenagers. Presently, some 30 teenagers visit the charity’s Munich premises every Wednesday evening (5-7 p.m.) and Friday afternoon (1:30-6:30 p.m.). During these periods, the Ark is entirely at their disposal. The pool table, dartboard, ping-pong table and sound system are all popular – but the teens mainly appreciate that there’s someone at the Ark who’ll ask them how they are and spend time with them.
“An ever larger number of teenagers are coming to us because they feel it’s more worthwhile spending time at the Ark than in the streets or subway stations,” explains Tim Rauchhaus, educational head at the Ark in Munich. This trend is significant to the Munich district where the Ark is located, because there’s a criminally inclined youth gang here trying to recruit local kids – but the Ark now offers nicer surroundings and more exciting things to do.
The teens who visit can make cakes and burgers, join in music and dance classes, go on trips, and get advice on how to apply for jobs. To hone their jobinterview skills, they are videoed doing role-playing. They then watch and discuss their performance with Ark staff. Opportunities to experience the working world are a big hit. Examples include informative trips to a radio station, beauty parlor and construction site.
The Ark’s Munich branch is housed in a prefabricated building, in which, incidentally, young WACKER volunteers renovated several rooms last spring. Whenever the charity’s facilities are reserved for its teenage visitors, the pre-teens must go elsewhere. This is set to change in spring 2009 with the arrival of a second prefabricated building. “It’ll be a huge surprise for our local teens,” says a delighted Tim Rauchhaus. “We’ve been waiting for teenfriendly facilities for years. But, unfortunately, all we’d heard so far were empty promises.” That’s now changed. WACKER’s donations provide the necessary funding for this second building and the Ark’s greater focus on youth work.
Picture: Tim Rauchhaus, educational head of the Ark in Munich (2nd from right), with his team. Social worker Ulrike (right) joined the team in September with the aim of boosting youth work.

“2008 VAA ANALYSIS” CORPORATE RANKING: WACKER HAS THE RIGHT CHEMISTRY

Cologne, Germany – In a new ranking of German chemical companies, Wacker Chemie AG beat BASF and finished 3rd place behind Boehringer and Beiersdorf. To compile the ranking, Germany’s Association of Chemical-Industry Executives (VAA) surveyed 2,000 non-pay-scale and management employees on their companies’ strategies, culture and working conditions.
In Germany, family-owned companies received better grades from their management employees than did other publicly-traded chemical and pharmaceutical firms. This is the main finding of the 2008 VAA Analysis. The survey was carried out in April.
The Cologne-based association’s VAA analysis always garners considerable attention. After all, companies must increasingly compete for the best job applicants – and a good position in this ranking helps attract highly qualified and talented employees.
The survey provides a good overview of management-employee sentiment. WACKER – which took 3rd place – has the right chemistry. But in Germany’s chemical industry as a whole, one of every four surveyed employees considered their working conditions poor or inadequate. Almost as many gave their company’s strategy similarly bad grades, too.
The VAA survey found that management employees were particularly unnerved by long-term issues such as continual job cuts and divestitures of corporate units. Ownership changes also took a toll on evaluations. Unease was especially strong at companies that failed to clearly communicate restructuring measures. Sentiment improved when change-related measures were successfully handled.
Good personnel development and the ability to retain management employees had a positive effect on evaluations. Family-owned companies received particularly outstanding praise, as evidenced by their top rankings. One factor at these companies is that people sense continuity and a focus on long-term goals.
Seoul/Ulsan, October 27, 2008 – South Korea’s Department of Labor has bestowed WACKER POLYMERS’ Ulsan production site with an „EHS Gold Award“. Through their commitment to environment, health and safety, all the site’s employees contributed to this success.
EHS managers from WACKER’S Ulsan and Seoul sites accepted this prestigious award in South Korea’s capital.The Ulsan site outscored numerous renowned companies to earn the “EHS Gold Award.” The Korean Department of Labor’s web pages now refer to WACKER Ul-san’s exemplary EHS management.
As a global manufacturer, WACKER continuously optimizes each process to sustainably con-serve resources and minimize waste. Further goals are to generate energy as efficiently as possible and clean up legacy chemicals in an environmentally compatible way. WACKER is a founding member of the chemical industry’s Responsible Care® program.
The Ulsan site has been part of the WACKER Group since February 1, 2008, when WACKER acquired full ownership of the two joint ventures Air Products Polymers (APP) and Wacker Polymer Systems (WPS). As the world’s leading supplier of dispersible polymer powders for construction applications, WACKER expects the acquisition to provide broad strategic advantages for its global construction polymers business. Benefits include synergies and cost advantages stemming from backward integration at US and Asian dispersion plants, as well as expansion of WACKER’s supply chain outside the Eurozone. Furthermore, the integration has allowed WACKER to strengthen its portfolio in applications such as adhesives, engineered fabrics and coatings.
SEMICOSIL® UV SAVES ENERGY AND COSTS
Munich October 20, 2008 – WACKER has succeeded in developing UV-active silicone elastomers with a significantly enhanced property profile: SEMICOSIL® UV. These have many advantages for future key markets – from automotive and power electronics to sensor technology.
Marketed under the SEMICOSIL® UV brand name, the new silicone grades cure at room temperature within a few minutes. Cycle times for coating electronic components can thus be drastically reduced, even without oven curing. This not only boosts productivity, but also lowers energy and production costs, especially for large components. These UV-active silicone elastomers are easily manageable one- and twocomponent systems based on polyorganosiloxanes. They are characterized by a long shelf life, easy processing and the absence of by-products on curing.
SEMICOSIL® UV silicone elastomers help improve the profitability and productivity of applications in microelectronics and sensor technology.
Such properties are much sought after, particularly for encapsulation of electronic components. UV-curing, epoxy- or acrylate-based polymers are frequently used to protect these devices. Those polymer types require the addition of photoinitiators for curing, which leaves either ions or free-radical decomposition products in the material and can considerably impair quality, especially in electronics applications. Such drawbacks don’t occur when UV-active silicones are used, since SEMICOSIL® UV cures without the need for photoinitiators. In addition, the product offers processors maximum flexibility, since curing rates can be accurately controlled by appropriate selection of the elastomer, UV dose and process temperature.