Oct 01, 2018 Read time: approx. MinutesMinute
New silicone site opens in South Korea
In Jincheon, WACKER produces sealants and specialty silicones for the electronics industry
In late April, WACKER opened a new production site for silicone elastomers in South Korea. The plant is located around 100 kilometers southeast of Seoul at Jincheon, where the Group has already been producing silicone sealants since 2010 and specialty silicones for the electronics industry since 2012. Some €15 million has been invested in the move to the new production site.
“We generate around 40 percent of our sales in Asia. Our operations in South Korea play a key role here.” With the new production site, the Group hopes to strengthen and expand its position in the region over the long term. “Due to the strong growth in demand for our silicones, production was increasingly being stretched to its limits,” explained Executive Board member Auguste Willems. As it was not possible to expand the facilities on the existing premises, WACKER decided to move sites. “Our new plant in Jincheon is four times as big as the old one and therefore provides enough space for future capacity expansion,” he stressed.
“The opening of our new plant is a milestone for us and sends a signal to our customers that we want to continue growing in Asia and in South Korea especially.”
Dr. Christian Hartel, Executive Board member, at the opening ceremony
Filling up cartridges with silicone sealant at WACKER’s new site in Jincheon, South Korea.
The centerpiece of the new site is a 13,000-square-meter production building.
Both silicone sealants for the construction industry and silicone rubber compounds for electronic applications are manufactured in separate facilities there. The production lines have been equipped with cutting-edge manufacturing technology that enables fully automatic and therefore highly efficient production processes. Hyperpure silicones are also produced and packaged in a dedicated cleanroom – a service that is becoming increasingly important for the electronics industry in particular.
“Jincheon offers us the space and technical facilities we need to continue meeting the rising demand for silicones in the region long term. That applies both to our sealants and to our high-performance silicones, which our customers use to produce automotive displays or use in other demanding electronic applications,” emphasized Willems.