Wacker Chemie AG announced this week the establishment of two new dedicated silicone production facilities in Tsukuba, Japan and Bucheon, South Korea, to meet the strong demand for dedicated silicone in the booming Asian market. This expansion of production capacity, with Wacker injecting millions of euros, demonstrates the company's firm confidence and strategic layout for the future development of the Asian market.
Christian Kirsten, director and head of the silicone business at Wacker, said at the opening ceremony, "With the expansion of Wacker's production facilities in Japan and South Korea, we will further consolidate Wacker's position as a market and technology leader in high-quality silicone solutions in the dynamic Asian market. The new production capacity will help us better meet the growing market demand, especially in the local automotive and construction industries
The capacity expansion of the Tsukuba production base is mainly aimed at the automotive industry, especially in the field of electric vehicles. The new factory has a production line for organic silicon thermal interface materials (TIM), which are mainly made of organic silicon elastomers and modified by adding various additives and fillers to achieve excellent thermal conductivity. These thermal interface materials are not only widely used in the automotive industry, but can also be used as sealants in the electronics industry to provide efficient thermal management for electronic components. Especially in the field of electric vehicles, the embedding of silicone encapsulation adhesive ensures effective heat dissipation of the battery during operation, avoiding the problem of overheating of the power battery.
In Asia, where the global trend towards electrification is significant, the demand for specialized organosilicon continues to grow. Japanese automotive suppliers are actively investing in this field, seeking new opportunities to improve the design and performance of electric vehicles. With the Tsukuba production line, Wacker can better meet the demand for high-end silicone in the Japanese market. As a joint venture between Wacker and Asahi Kasei, Wacker Asahi Kasei Organic Silicon Co., Ltd. (AWS) is responsible for the production of specialized organic silicon in Tsukuba. In addition, Wacker also operates a technology center and a silicone application training center in Tsukuba, dedicated to technological innovation and talent development.
At the same time, Wacker has also expanded its production capacity at its production base in Jincheon, South Korea. This production base has been producing silicone sealants for the construction industry since 2010, and specialized silicone, liquid silicone rubber, and silicone elastomers for the automotive and electrical industries since 2012. Customers are located throughout Asia. After the factory relocation in 2018, although production capacity increased, it quickly became unable to meet the growing demand for sealants in the market. The establishment of this new production line will significantly increase the production capacity of the Zhenchuan production base.
Angela W ö rl, a director of Wacker, emphasized, "Our sales in Asia account for over 40% of the group's total sales, with Japan and South Korea performing the most outstandingly. The construction of new production facilities in Tsukuba and Zhenchuan is to implement Wacker's corporate strategy of continuously strengthening our manufacturing capabilities in specific regions
This capacity expansion not only enhances Wacker's competitiveness in the Asian market, but also provides global customers with higher quality and more efficient silicone solutions. In the future, Wacker will continue to be committed to technological innovation and market expansion, promoting the sustainable development of the silicone industry and making greater contributions to the prosperity of the Asian and even global markets.