After four years of construction, Dow Corning Corporation and Wacker Chemie AG have officially inaugurated their joint integrated silicone manufacturing site in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province, China.
The facility will serve fast-growing demand for silicone materials in China and Asia. The combined US$1.8 billion investment, covering 1 million square metres, is China’s largest facility of this kind and is among the world’s biggest and most advanced integrated silicone production sites. The integrated site includes a siloxane plant and a pyrogenic silica plant, both of which are jointly owned by Dow Corning and Wacker. The site also features finished silicone production plants which are owned and operated independently by each company. Siloxane and pyrogenic silica are key ingredients in the manufacture of finished silicone products. Silicone-based materials are used in nearly all sectors of China’s booming economy, including automotive, construction, cosmetics and personal care products, electronics, power generation and distribution, solar energy and textiles. The landmark project began in 2006, and the first phase of raw material production was launched in 2008. The combined capacity for siloxane and pyrogenic silica is expected to reach approximately 210,000 metric tonnes per year.
