Dow Corning opens silicone rubber plant in China

ERJ staff report (DS)

Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province, China -- Dow Corning has opened a new silicone rubber plant in China to support growing demand from customers in Asia.

Located at Zhangjiagang, in Jiangsu Province, the new plant is the largest investment Dow Corning has made globally in silicone rubber in the last ten years. DC did not give details, but said the plant represents , "a multi-million dollar investment."

The 6,000 square meters site will manufacture High Consistency Rubber (HCR) and Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) for a full spectrum of industrial and consumer applications. It will serve the needs of customers in China and throughout Asia.

Dow Corning (Zhangjiagang) Silicone Co., Ltd. Silicone Rubber Plant is an integral part of Dow Corning's world-class manufacturing site currently under development at the Jiangsu Yangtze River Chemical Industrial Park in Zhangjiagang City. This integrated site includes China's largest facility to manufacture siloxane (basic silicone materials) with an investment of $600 million USD, as well as downstream finishing plants, which support the vigorous growth and demand for silicone materials of both the Chinese and Asian markets.

“The opportunities to use silicone rubber in many existing and new applications will continue to drive the overall demand growth globally,” said Ian Wilson, Executive Director of Formulated Products, Dow Corning. “We expect the demand growth in China to be higher than the world average given China's accelerated GDP growth rate," he added.

Dow Corning broke ground at the Chemical Industry Park in Zhangjiagang in September 2006 for the siloxane manufacturing facility in a joint venture with WACKER Chemie AG. Completion is expected during 2010.

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Press release from Dow Corning