German chemical company, Wacker; has expanded its production capacity for functional silicone fluids at its Burghausen site in Germany. The company said the expansion involving investments of around €26-mn will meet the rising global demand for speciality fluids and silicone emulsions in the coatings, paper, textile, cosmetics and personal care industries.

At the performance silicones plant in Burghausen, the precursor siloxane and other raw materials are used to make highly specialised functional silicone fluids. They are important starting materials for antiform, impregnating and release agents and for additives for the construction, coatings, paper, cosmetics and personal care industries. The expansion will increase the plant’s total production capacity by around 70%.

“The completion of our polysilicon production site in Tennessee has essentially concluded our investment in full-scale plants for the manufacture of precursors. We are now focussing on plant for intermediates, sales products and speciality products,” said Wacker President and CEO, Dr. Rudolf Staudigl at the commissioning ceremony. According to him, the performance silicones plant is a good example of this. “Thanks to the expansion, we have sufficient production capacity in Burghausen to meet the rising global demand for versatile silicone fluids and emulsions,” he added.

As part of the capacity expansion, production processes were optimised further. Silicone fluids can now be produced ever more efficiently with ever higher purity. “This plant is a key facility for us. The most important intermediates for our product portfolio are manufactured here,” said Dr.ChristophKowitz, head of the Performance Silicones business unit. The majority of the plant’s products are processed into high-quality speciality fluids or emulsions in Burghausen or at other sites.