- €100 million invested to increase silicone rubber production by 40,000 metric tons annually by 2021
- New production sites in Jincheon, South Korea and Amtala, India
- Further capacity enhancements planned for 2019 in Germany, USA, and China
- Evaluating a new solid silicone rubber plant in Charleston, Tennessee
Investment and Expansion
WACKER is increasing its global production capacities for silicone rubber, planning to raise capacities by 40,000 metric tons per year by 2021. Approximately €100 million has been allocated for this expansion to meet high demand in sectors such as automotive, electronics, and medical industries.
New Production Sites
In April, WACKER launched a new production site for silicone sealants and thermally conductive silicone compounds in Jincheon, South Korea. Additionally, production of room-temperature-vulcanizing silicone elastomers and liquid silicone rubbers has started in Amtala, India, through a joint venture with Metroark.
Future Enhancements
For 2019, WACKER plans further capacity enhancements for liquid silicone rubber, high- and room-temperature-vulcanizing silicones, and thermally conductive silicone compounds at its sites in Burghausen (Germany), Adrian (Michigan, USA), and Zhangjiagang (China). The company is also considering building a plant for solid silicone rubber in Charleston, Tennessee, where it has been producing polysilicon since 2016. A plant for manufacturing pyrogenic silica, a key filler for high consistency silicone rubber, will start operations at this site next year.
Silicone Rubber Properties
Silicone rubber, composed of silicone polymers and fillers, is crosslinked to form elastic rubber. It remains flexible at low temperatures, resists heat and aging, and maintains good mechanical properties over a wide temperature range. Applications include automotive, mechanical engineering, electronics, textiles, baby articles, toys, household appliances, sports articles, and construction.
