WACKER's Chino Production Site Celebrates 25th Anniversary with Exceptional Culture, Inclusion, and Customer Engagement

"Congratulations to Wacker Chemical on celebrating 25 years in the City of Chino. WACKER has been an exemplary partner to the Chamber and a vital part of our community,” said Zeb Welborn, president of the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce. “Their commitment to economic development and community engagement is demonstrated by their hosting of Chamber tours and active participation in local initiatives. We greatly value this partnership and look forward to its continued success, enhancing our local economy and the lives of those in Chino."

WACKER's silicone mixing operation in Chino combines the first three letters in each word, creating the company’s renowned trademarked compound that is also the company name, SILMIX® California, that delivers comprehensive technical expertise for developing made-to-order silicone rubber that is ideally suited for standard and specialty applications in various diversified industries such as gaskets for the aviation and aerospace industries, electrically and thermally conductive silicones for the microelectronics sector, and therapeutic compounds or silicones for medical applications.

“Located near the iconic city of Los Angeles, Chino, over the last 25 years, created a reputation within our company for harnessing diversity to create a high-performing, innovative, and highly customer-focused organization,” said David Wilhoit, president and CEO of Wacker Chemical Corporation. “Chino continues to leverage its creativity and expertise to get to know customers’ needs inside out, leading to outstanding customer service and regular recognition for be named best supplier by several of our key customers.”

Over the years, Chino has developed a strong reputation for community service and conservation. The site also actively participates in local community events and initiatives. The company is proud to be a part of the Chino community. It is committed to positively impacting the areas where it operates, including a wide array of environmental and conservation initiatives:

• A PPE recycling program: Since Q4 2023, WACKER-Chino team members have recycled nearly a ton of PPE. The PPE includes nitrile gloves, coveralls, aprons, boot covers, and sleeves. This program is part of our ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability and waste reduction, and we are proud of its significant impact in such a short time.
• In our commitment to sustainability, the Chino team uses 100% renewable energy in the plant, recycles all cardboard and scrap metals, and separates food waste from the regular waste stream. This dedication to environmental responsibility is a cornerstone of our operations.
• The plant uses a closed-loop cooling system in its manufacturing process so that there is no water waste when customer product is manufactured at the facility.
• Chino uses zero percent non-disposable utensils and sustainable alternatives to plastic cutlery, such as silverware and stainless-steel cutleries, an alternative that has been around for centuries. Their durability is unquestionable, and utensils must be washed, sanitized, and reused.

The commemorative anniversary event will honor and recognize the invaluable contributions of our current and former employees and the profound social and economic impact of the Chino site under WACKER ownership on the city of Chino and the Inland Empire. We are deeply grateful to our WACKER employees, retirees, community leaders, elected officials, and business partners, all gathered at the site, which currently employs approximately 35 team members. The celebration features tours, speeches, and festivities, symbolizing 25 years of resilience, innovation, and community partnership.

"Comparatively speaking, Chino is among WACKER’s newer production sites in the U.S. We are small, nimble, and have quickly leveraged and adapted best practices from longer operating facilities to make our site more productive and efficient,” said WACKER-Chino Site Leader Ada Chan. “We actively seek opportunities to adopt novel sustainability initiatives and are working with other sites to integrate some of our best practices into their processes.”

WACKER-Chino team members produce products that touch people’s lives every day without them even realizing it, including silicone rubber compounds, essential mixtures of mold-making and therapeutic compounds, and fluorosilicates. The site is certified to ISO 9001 and observes the environmental protection guidelines set out by the global chemical industry’s Responsible Care® initiative.

For more information about WACKER’s operations in Chino, Calif., click here to visit the company’s webpage.