Wacker gains IATF standard to directly supply to auto industry

Munich, Germany – Wacker Chemie AG has acquired the automotive standard IATF 16949 for parts of its silicones production, a move than will enable the German supplier to further strengthen focus on electromobility.

The certificates apply to selected plants at Wacker's Burghausen site in Germany and Zhangjiagang in China and will allow Wacker to supply silicone products directly to automotive manufactures and OEMs, said the company 7 Feb.

The certified units manufacture two-component silicone rubber formulations that cure by an addition reaction at room temperature to form silicone elastomers. 

The products, which are offered in the market under the brand names Semicosil, Elastosil and Wacker SilGel, serve as heat-conducting gap fillers, silicone adhesives and potting compounds. 

Potting compounds of silicone rubber protect the onboard and control electronics against vibrations, moisture and dirt. 

Thermal gap fillers improve the thermal management of the electric-vehicle battery and power electronics, which produce considerable amounts of heat in operation or during charging, and must therefore be reliably cooled. 

“The automotive industry is a key industry and will remain so, not only for Germany,” said Robert Gnann, president of Wacker Silicones. 

The sector's demand, Gnann said, is 'growing steadily' for high-performance materials, including Wacker's silicones. 

IATF 16949 was developed in 2016 by leading European and North American automobile manufacturers. 

It combines the core requirements and quality management standards agreed on by the auto industry. 

According to Wacker, certification according to IATF 16949 is “the most important condition” for direct cooperation between the supplier and automobile manufacturer. 

“Our customers require... a reliable partner who is capable of offering individual tailor-made solutions that fully meet the industry’s strict guidelines and processes,” said Duke Cho, who heads both the subsidiary Wacker Chemicals Korea and the business unit Industrial Solutions of Wacker Silicones. 

“The certification demonstrates that we are fully capable of meeting these challenges and requirements in production and quality management. 

Our business in the field of electromobility will profit significantly from this,” he added.