Wacker Polysilicon North America, LLC

With the launch of the Charleston production site in the US state of Tennessee in April 2016, WACKER achieved a historic milestone for a number of reasons.

The plant is one of our most modern production facilities for hyperpure polysilicon in the world. At around US$2.5 billion, it is the biggest single investment in the company’s history and clearly signals our commitment to North America as a key region alongside Europe and Asia.

Another novelty is that the plant is not an expansion of existing production buildings; it was built completely from scratch on a greenfield site. It has excellent infrastructure and makes use of cheap and reliable energy from nearby power plants. We completed construction of a new pyrogenic silica production plant, which went on stream in October 2019.

Ultrapure amorphous silicon dioxide powder is used as a filler in silicone elastomers and as a viscosity-adjusting agent, for example, in coatings, printing inks and adhesives. It also serves as a flow aid in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical and food industries. In the long term, we plan to develop Charleston into a fully integrated production site, enabling us to supply polysilicon and silicone directly to our customers in the USA, the world’s second largest chemical market.

With the creation of 650 new jobs we have also given an economic boost to the entire region. Founded in partnership with the local community, the WACKER INSTITUTE meets the high demand for qualified workers at the site. The educational facility trains students to become chemical, electrical and instrumentation technicians.