Wacker Opens Technical Center for Polymer and Silicone Applications in India

10-Nov-2009 - India

The Munich-based chemical company Wacker is strengthening its presence in India by opening a technical center in Mumbai. The facility will serve as a regional competence center for developments and applications in the construction, coatings, plastics and textile coatings industry, the main focus being on construction polymers, silicone emulsions, sealants, silanes and silicone resins. The new technical center will enable Wacker to tap the fast-growing markets in this part of the world. The investment is aimed at providing local support to customers for developing new and customized products while promoting internationally recognized quality standards in India. In 2008, Wacker generated annual sales of nearly €50 million with more than 140 employees in India.

The technical center is located in Goregaon, a suburb of Mumbai, and is shared by Wacker Chemie India Pvt. Ltd., a 100 percent subsidiary, and the joint venture Wacker Metroark Chemicals Pvt. Ltd, where Wacker holds 51 percent of the shares. A few weeks ago, the sales subsidiaries moved into a newly constructed building with offices covering about 11,000 square feet (1,000 m2). The new center will offer WACKER POLYMERS’ and WACKER SILICONES’ customers support in developing new products and product applications for the Indian market, and in conducting comparative lab testing of construction products with regards to locally available raw materials, climatic conditions and regional construction methods.

The focus is on VINNAPAS® dispersible polymer powder formulations for manufacturing polymer-modified dry-mix mortars for the regional construction industry. Additional products to be emphasized are polymer dispersions, silicone emulsions, silicone resins, silanes and sealants.

“The Mumbai technical center is another important milestone in our growth strategy for Asia and particularly India,” explained Dr. Willhelm Sittenthaler, Wacker Executive Board member responsible for Asia, at the opening ceremony. The objective is to meet the individual needs of Indian customers locally and to support and test new applications, added Sittenthaler. In this way, the Munich-based Wacker Group intends to further consolidate and expand its market position in collaboration with customers.

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/109108/wacker-opens-technical-center-for-polymer-and-silicone-applications-in-india.html