Wacker unveils €150m silicones expansion plans at German site

Munich, Germany – Wacker Chemie AG is investing €150 million to expand silicones production at the group's largest production site in Burghausen, Germany.

The investment includes several medium and small-scale projects to increase capacity and improve environmental performance, Wacker said in a written statement to ERJ.

The increased output is scheduled to come on stream this year and 2022, the German group stated 16 Aug.

The project is part of a larger €350-million investment by Wacker in downstream and intermediate products, as announced in its 2020 annual report in March.

Investments at Burghausen will inlcude the construction of a plant for making speciality silicones for consumer products, scheduled for completion later this year.

Projects will also add new capacity for polymer and vinyl products and expand the silicone-base facility all set for completion this year.

In addition, a liquid silicone rubber production plant is under construction at the Burghausen facility which is set to come on stream in 2022.

Wacker said the investment was being made in anticipation of global economic growth, particualry driven by China as well as the US and Europe.