WACKER Group has started to build a liquid resins unit at its Nünchritz site. This unit will supply key upstream products for formulating silicone-based building-protection agents and binders for exterior paints and industrial coatings.

At the moment, the company only currently produces these additives at its liquid resins plant in Burghausen, where side-stream products resulting from the manufacture of silicones react with alcohol to become silanes and liquid resins. Its Burghausen and Nünchritz sites process these substances into silicone products for construction and coating applications.

WACKER now plans to manufacture these formulation ingredients in Nünchritz too. This unit will be able to process products obtained from the synthesis of methylchlorosilanes.

Scheduled to go on stream at the end of 2022, the new unit will close important material loops and so further increase the cost-effectiveness of WACKER’s integrated production system. Capital spending amounts to some €30 million.

WACKER's new liquid resins plant will increase the availability of upstream products for the manufacture of binders for exterior paints and industrial coatings.

WACKER uses silanes and liquid resins to formulate several specialty silicone grades: building-protection agents and concrete protection creams contain these kinds of hydrophobic and hence water-repellent active ingredients, as do binders for exterior paints, corrosion-resistant protective coatings and heat-resistant powder paints.

“The decision to extend the production of silanes and liquid resins to Nünchritz enables us to respond with even greater flexibility to customer needs”, said Auguste Willems, WACKER’s Executive Board member. “The new unit in Nünchritz closes material loops and increases the availability of key intermediates. This enhances our supply security throughout our integrated production system.”

The investment benefits both the Nünchritz site and the integrated production system in Burghausen. Due to high demand for building protection agents and coatings the liquid resins plant in Burghausen has been running at full capacity.

In recent years, a healthy construction sector and demand for highquality industrial coatings have meant that more and more silicone-based construction materials and binders need to be supplied.

“Our specialties business is highly profitable,” stated Dr. Robert Gnann, head of WACKER’s silicones division. “It is still too early to talk about capacity expansions exceeding this measure. But one thing is certain: the investment is an important basis for future growth. The expansion shows that we are determined to strengthen and further expand our market position in the building-protection and coating sectors.”

The liquid resins plant is located on the site of a former tank farm not far from where a hybrid polymer facility is under construction. As already announced, this facility will produce silane-terminated hybrid polymer binders for high-performance adhesives starting late next year.

“It was important for us to integrate the new liquid resins unit into the existing surroundings and to use the infrastructure there in the best possible way,” added Dr. Jutta Matreux, Nünchritz site manager. “Both the liquid resins plant and the hybrid polymer facility greatly enhance the site’s status in terms of the integrated production system operated by WACKER SILICONES.”

WACKER Group has started to build a liquid resins unit at its Nünchritz site. This unit will supply key upstream products for formulating silicone-based building-protection agents and binders for exterior paints and industrial coatings.

At the moment, the company only currently produces these additives at its liquid resins plant in Burghausen, where side-stream products resulting from the manufacture of silicones react with alcohol to become silanes and liquid resins. Its Burghausen and Nünchritz sites process these substances into silicone products for construction and coating applications.

WACKER now plans to manufacture these formulation ingredients in Nünchritz too. This unit will be able to process products obtained from the synthesis of methylchlorosilanes.

Scheduled to go on stream at the end of 2022, the new unit will close important material loops and so further increase the cost-effectiveness of WACKER’s integrated production system. Capital spending amounts to some €30 million.

WACKER's new liquid resins plant will increase the availability of upstream products for the manufacture of binders for exterior paints and industrial coatings.

WACKER uses silanes and liquid resins to formulate several specialty silicone grades: building-protection agents and concrete protection creams contain these kinds of hydrophobic and hence water-repellent active ingredients, as do binders for exterior paints, corrosion-resistant protective coatings and heat-resistant powder paints.

“The decision to extend the production of silanes and liquid resins to Nünchritz enables us to respond with even greater flexibility to customer needs”, said Auguste Willems, WACKER’s Executive Board member. “The new unit in Nünchritz closes material loops and increases the availability of key intermediates. This enhances our supply security throughout our integrated production system.”

The investment benefits both the Nünchritz site and the integrated production system in Burghausen. Due to high demand for building protection agents and coatings the liquid resins plant in Burghausen has been running at full capacity.

In recent years, a healthy construction sector and demand for highquality industrial coatings have meant that more and more silicone-based construction materials and binders need to be supplied.

“Our specialties business is highly profitable,” stated Dr. Robert Gnann, head of WACKER’s silicones division. “It is still too early to talk about capacity expansions exceeding this measure. But one thing is certain: the investment is an important basis for future growth. The expansion shows that we are determined to strengthen and further expand our market position in the building-protection and coating sectors.”

The liquid resins plant is located on the site of a former tank farm not far from where a hybrid polymer facility is under construction. As already announced, this facility will produce silane-terminated hybrid polymer binders for high-performance adhesives starting late next year.

“It was important for us to integrate the new liquid resins unit into the existing surroundings and to use the infrastructure there in the best possible way,” added Dr. Jutta Matreux, Nünchritz site manager. “Both the liquid resins plant and the hybrid polymer facility greatly enhance the site’s status in terms of the integrated production system operated by WACKER SILICONES.”