ZHANGJIAGANG, China – Wacker Chemie AG and Dow Corning Corp. have officially started the construction of the second phase of their pyrogenic silica plant in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province, China. The pyrogenic silica plant, together with a siloxane plant, is a key facility of an integrated silicone manufacturing site developed by both companies at Jiangsu Yangtze River Chemical Industrial Park to produce materials used in industries such as construction, beauty and personal care, power, and automotives. Covering an area of one million square meters, the site is China’s largest facility of this kind and among the world’s largest and most advanced integrated production complexes for silicones.

 

The overall nameplate capacity for both siloxane and pyrogenic silica, including the second phase silica plant, is expected to be approximately 210,000 metric tons per year.

 

Pyrogenic silica is a nano-structured specialty chemical. It can be used as an active filler in silicone elastomers, a viscosity-adjusting agent in coatings, printing inks, adhesives, unsaturated polyester resins and plastisols or as a flow aid, for example in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical and food-processing industries.

 

Both companies also own manufacturing plants for finished silicone products at the Zhangjiagang site. Marketing and sales are undertaken independently by each company.