WACKER's New Fumed Silica Production Facilities Go Onstream at Nünchritz Site

10-09-2003: Today, in the presence of Saxony's Minister President Prof. Georg Milbradt, WACKER has officially inaugurated its new fumed silica production facilities in Nünchritz. According to Executive Vice President and COO Dr. Rudolf Staudigl, the successful completion of this large-scale project marked a further important milestone in the Nünchritz site's expansion into a center of excellence for silicone production. WACKER is investing more than EUR 400 million in the expansion of production facilities for silicones and their precursors, as well as in providing infrastructure, environmental protection and safety equipment. The expansion will create more than 200 new jobs at this WACKER site.

The new facilities increase WACKER's fumed silica production capacities by around a third. The WACKER Group, Dr. Staudigl stated, has thus taken the necessary steps to match the 30-percent market growth predicted over the next three to four years with appropriate production volumes and to continue expanding its fumed-silica market share. The global fumed silica market is currently valued at almost EUR 800 million. WACKER ranks among the world's three leading fumed silica producers.

Fumed silica is a loose white powder with a wide range of applications. The food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries use fumed silica to bind moisture and as a flow aid in powders. Fumed silica prevents sedimentation in industrial coatings and improves tear strength in silicone rubber products. Additionally, the viscosity of a product can be modified by the use of fumed silica. The greatest growth potential for fumed silica lies in resins, coatings, adhesives and silicones. After Kempten and Burghausen, Nünchritz is WACKER's third fumed silica production site.