Expansion of silicone rubber production

Silicone rubber is among the most sought-after elastomers in the industry. “Silicones are high-performance materials. They are essential for novel product solutions and belong to the innovation drivers in key industries, such as the automotive, medical, and electronics sectors,” said Dr. Robert Gnann, president of the WACKER SILICONES business division. Above-average growth is being driven by the trends toward hybrid cars, electromobility and digitalization, as well as decentralized alternative electricity generation using wind and solar power.

With expansion measures at several sites, WACKER plans to gradually raise its specialty-rubber capacities by a total of 40,000 metric tons per year by 2021. Approximately €100 million has been earmarked for this capacity expansion. All solid silicone rubber product groups will benefit from these expansion measures. In April 2018, WACKER brought a new production site for silicone sealants and thermally conductive silicone compounds on stream in Jincheon, South Korea. In addition, the production of room-temperature-curing silicone elastomers and liquid silicone rubbers has started in Amtala, India, where WACKER manufactures silicones in a joint venture with Metroark.

For 2019, the chemical group is planning further capacity enhancements for liquid silicone rubber, high-temperature-curing and room-temperature-curing silicones and thermally conductive silicone compounds at its production sites in Burghausen (Germany), Adrian (Michigan, USA) and Zhangjiagang (China). WACKER is also evaluating the option of building a plant for solid silicone rubber at its Charleston site in Tennessee, USA. WACKER has been producing polysilicon there since 2016. A plant for manufacturing pyrogenic silica, an important filler for high consistency silicone rubber (HCR), will come on stream at the site this year.