Wacker selects Michigan site for new North America HQ

Ann Arbor, Michigan – Wacker Chemical Corp. will build a new $51 million (€43 million) innovation centre and regional headquarters for its North American operations in Michigan.

The new project, in Pittsfield Charter Township near Ann Arbor, is expected to add 70 new jobs over time, according to the state of Michigan.

The new new headquarters can house more than 300 employees, including those who will relocate from Wacker's current regional headquarters in Adrian, Michigan.

Manufacturing of elastomers, silicone fluids and silicone emulsions will continue in Adrian as about two-thirds of that location's current employees will remain at that site.

A previous Wacker expansion saw the creation of a silicones research and development centre in Ann Arbor in 2017.

Michigan competed against locations in Tennessee and Ohio for the new project, the state said.

"Our new facility will enable future growth in the state and serve as an important anchor for our operations across North America. This area is one of the nation's leading communities for R&D," Wacker CEO David Wilhoit said in a statement.

This will allow the company to network and recruit from what Wilhoit described as a "highly educated and skilled talent base."

Silicones are a major business line for Munich-based Wacker, accounting for about half of the company's overall global sales.

Sectors served include automotive engineering, construction, chemicals, cosmetics, medical technology, energy, electronics, paper and textiles, the company said.