Wacker opens regional innovation center in the USA
Wacker has opened a new regional innovation center based in Michigan, USA. The research campus is part of the company’s growth campaign announced at the end of March.
According to the company, Wacker intends to significantly expand its market position in the USA and other target regions through investments in research and development, additional production capacities and accelerated growth. The investment for the new center amounts to around EUR 40 million.
On the new campus located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on a 70,000 square meter site, biotech and silicone experts who have previously conducted research at different locations will be able to develop products for the North American market under one roof. The building houses more than 20 technical and analytical laboratories.
Administrative headquarters of Wacker Chemical Corporation
The new building also houses the administrative headquarters of Wacker Chemical Corporation (WCC). In mid-April, management, sales and administration – more than 200 employees – moved to Ann Arbor from the previous company headquarters in Adrian, Michigan. The production site, where Wacker has been producing silicones for more than 50 years, continues to manufacture silicone fluids, silicone emulsions and silicone rubber.
Wacker is one of the few silicone manufacturers that produces pyrogenic silica in addition to silicones. Pyrogenic silica is an important filler for the production of high-temperature vulcanizing silicone rubber for the automotive, electrical, health and household industries. Wacker produces pyrogenic silica from the by-products of polysilicon production at its integrated site in Charleston, Tennessee. Here, too, the Group is planning to invest in silicone production in the coming years.
