Wacker starts operating new production lines for high-purity silicone elastomers in Burghausen
Munich, July 5, 2011 – WACKER, the Munich-based chemical group, started operating several silicone-polymer production lines at its Burghausen site. The lines are for high-purity special-ty silicones, encapsulation and coating compounds, as well as UV-activated silicones for the medical, LED and electronics industries. As these products must meet particularly high quality and purity requirements, a new cleanroom facility was added to the site. By expanding its cleanroom capacity, WACKER can continue to extend its leading position in the field of high-purity silicones and encapsulants.
The new facility sets standards in the manufacture of high-purity silicones. It meets WACKER’s novel Clean Operations principles and thus fulfills quality and purity standards otherwise only typical of the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries. “In general, this plant is operating according to selected Good Manufacturing Practice principles, which makes it one of a kind worldwide,” said Dr. Bernd Pachaly, head of the Engineering Silicones business unit, at the start of production in early July.
Production, filling and logistics are housed separately and can only be accessed from outside via special airlocks. Particularly strict regula-tions apply to filling operations. Here, aside from special stipulations regarding clothing and hygiene, air and particle filters ensure com-
pliance with the international ISO standard for class 8 cleanrooms. Also, nothing about quality assurance has been left to chance. Every single production step is monitored and documented constantly. “This is how we can make sure that our products leave the plant in top condition and meet all required quality standards,” explained Pachaly.
The new clean-operations facility produces SILPURAN® and ELASTOSIL® silicone elastomers for medical applications, as well as highly specialized LUMISIL®, SEMICOSIL®, and WACKER SilGel® silicone products for encapsulating and coating electronic compo-nents. There is also a production line for UV silicones. “In many areas, such as medical technology and electronics, demands on the materials used will continue to become tougher and tougher,” the silicones expert added. “Our new product lines and expanded clean-room capacity enable us to provide customers with even better and longer-lasting support in meeting the rising material requirements encountered in individual industrial sectors.”
For further information, please contact: Wacker Chemie AG Media Relations & Information Florian Degenhart Tel. +49 89 6279-1601 Fax +49 89 6279-2877 florian.degenhart@wacker.com
The company in brief: WACKER is a globally-active chemical company with some 16,300 employees and annual sales of around €4.75 billion (2010). WACKER has a global network of 26 production sites, 20 technical competence centers and 50 sales offices. WACKER SILICONES Silicone fluids, emulsions, rubber and resins; silanes; pyrogenic silicas; thermoplastic silicone elastomers WACKER POLYMERS Polyvinyl acetate and vinyl acetate copolymers in the form of dispersible polymer powders, dispersions, solid resins and solutions used as binders for construction chemicals, paints and coatings, adhesives, plasters, textiles and nonwovens, as well as for polymeric materials based on renewable resources WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS Biotech products such as cyclodextrins, cysteine and biologics, as well as fine chemicals and PVAc solid resins WACKER POLYSILICON Polysilicon for the semiconductor and photovoltaics industries Siltronic Hyperpure silicon wafers and monocrystals for semiconductor devices