WACKER opens new production site for specialty silicones

With the commissioning of the new site, WACKER is reorganizing its silicone activities in Europe. Together with the company’s Plzeň, Nünchritz, and Burghausen sites, Karlovy Vary will be responsible for supplying customers of silicone specialties going forward. In the future, liquid silicone rubber will be manufactured in Burghausen, while thermally conductive silicones, potting compounds for the automotive industry and silicone gels for wound care will be produced in Plzeň. Room-temperature-curing silicones and solid silicone rubber will be located in Karlovy Vary.

“Karlovy Vary will make our integrated production network in Europe much more flexible, agile and efficient”, emphasized Kirsten in his speech. “Karlovy Vary complements our existing sites and, thanks to state-of-the-art production technology, creates the underlying conditions for extremely high levels of efficiency and quality. Going forward, this will enable us to serve our customers even better thanks to high-quality and innovative products. With Karlovy Vary, we are beginning a new chapter in our silicones’ success story.”

WACKER has been present in the Czech Republic since the 1990s. In Plzeň, the company has been operating a production site for ready-to-use silicones since 2008. Meanwhile, thermally conductive silicones and silicone gels are also manufactured here. In 2023, Plzeň also became home to an Excellence Hub, which provides services for the entire Group. Since 2026, WACKER is now active in the Karlovy Vary region too. Up to 200 jobs are to be created there by 2028 and filled by qualified specialists from the region.

“Our goal is to create the conditions for quality jobs, the development of regional infrastructure, and a long-term competitive economy. The signing of this memorandum therefore represents an important step and a catalyst for strengthening economic development in the Karlovy Vary Region. Our partnership with WACKER opens up new opportunities in the areas of innovation, education, and sustainable industry, and enhances the region’s appeal for further investment,” said Petr Kubis, Governor of the Karlovy Vary region, during the signing of a cooperation agreement between WACKER, the city and the district.

Karlovy Vary Mayor Andrea Pfeffer Ferklová, too, praised the commitment of the project partners. “The arrival of a strong international partner such as WACKER is an important expansion of the portfolio of job opportunities and the local business environment for Karlovy Vary. The memorandum will allow us to leverage further synergies in the development of the city and its infrastructure, as well as in engaging the local community. I am very much looking forward to our mutual cooperation increasing the attractiveness of the city for its current and potential future residents, as well as for other investors.”