Wacker celebrates 40 years in Brazil with €7M expansion

Wacker Chemie AG is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its Brazil-based South American headquarters.

Wacker Química do Brasil Ltda. was established in São Paulo in 1977, marking an important milestone in the Group’s South American expansion.

In Jandira near São Paulo, Wacker now manufactures silicone products used in the textile, construction, paper, agrochemical, personal care and cosmetics industries.

The company is currently building a new multifunctional facility at the site for manufacturing antifoam agents and functional silicone fluids.

Investments for the expansion will total around €7M.

Wacker’s Jandira technical centre further offers customers special support with the development of new products and applications for the South American market.

With over 100 employees, Wacker Brazil generated sales of around €90 million in 2016.

In his address to some 200 customers and business partners, Wacker Executive Board member Tobias Ohler highlighted the importance of Wacker Brazil for the Group’s future success in South America:

"Our sales in this region have grown at an average rate of more than 9% annually over the past 10 years.

"At the same time, local production volumes have increased five-fold.

"In the years ahead, we expect demand in South America to grow for our high-quality specialty chemicals – and see huge potential for our Jandira site.”

Wacker already ranks among the top silicone suppliers in South America and is the market leader for dispersible polymer powders for the construction industry.

The region’s main markets for Wacker products range from construction, paints and coatings, paper, electrical/electronics and textiles, through to the cosmetics, agrochemical, household and personal-care sectors.

Executive Board member Auguste Willems underscored the future opportunities for innovative Wacker products in his speech:

"Thanks to their virtually unlimited applications, silicones have become an integral part of daily life – whether in the electronics industry, the automotive sector, in cosmetics or medicine.

"Our polymer binders enable cutting-edge construction solutions, such as fire-protection coatings and water-saving sealing systems.

"As for our novel biotech products, we are building a bridge between chemistry and biotechnology,” he continued.

"With our ongoing expansion of silicone production in Jandira, we are well positioned to meet the growing needs of the South American market.

"As a result, Wacker Brazil can offer its customers even better local support in the development of new products and customized applications.”

A wholly owned subsidiary, Wacker Química do Brasil Ltda. supports customers and partners in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Beside sales and marketing, the approx. 21,000-m² site houses its own production plants, which produce, for example, silicone fluids and emulsions, as well as silicone resins and rubber compounds.

Wacker is currently expanding its existing silicone operations by building a multifunctional facility for manufacturing antifoam agents and functional silicone fluids for the paper, cosmetics and household industries.

While the reactor for silicone fluids has already been completed, the plant for antifoam agents is expected to come on stream by the end of the year.