Evonik opens expanded speciality silica production facilities in Japan

Evonik has opened its expanded facilities in Ako, Japan, where the company will produce its Sipernat and Carplex lines of speciality silicas. The investment represents a roughly 50% increase in Evonik’s Japanese production capacity for speciality silicas, which it manufactures through DSL Japan Co Ltd (DSL).

Evonik maintains a 51% share in DSL, a joint venture with Shionogi & Co Ltd in Japan.

DSL President Tadashi Kanai emphasised how the investment will strengthen the company’s market position: "As the expansion shows, we see growth potential for the high-quality specialty silica business in Japan. Our aim is to strategically enhance our already strong market position. DSL is a reliable partner to its customers, whom we support with intense technical collaboration and highly dependable delivery performance. The new facility also complies with regulatory requirements for direct contact with food in Japan, the EU, the USA and other states, and meets demanding HACCP and GMP quality and safety requirements in Japan.”

Although the expansion wiill primarily support customers in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals industries, it is anticipated that this will lead to ideas for other industrial applications, such as paints and coatings or paper coatings