Page 159 - CW E-Magazine (2-7-2024)

News from Abroad

GROWING PRESENCE
Wacker begins work on new silicone specialties

facility in Czech Republic

Germany’s Wacker Chemie has bro-
ken ground on a new production site in
Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, boosts its
silicone specialties capabilities in Europe.

Customised silicone elastomers are
especially needed where conventional
materials cannot or can no longer meet
the high and ever-increasing require-
ments. The main drivers are megatrends
such as electromobility, renewable
energies and the expansion of electricity
grids. “In order to be able to meet the
growing demand for such solutions in the
long term, we need to lay the necessary
groundwork now. With Karlovy Vary we
are now beginning a new chapter in our It will enable us to serve our customers When fully operational, the site will be
silicones’ success story,” said Executive both in Europe and elsewhere even able to supply over 20,000 metric tons
Board member, Mr. Christian Kirsten. better,” said Mr. Kirsten. of custom-made silicones per year. First
production quantities are expected by the
Wacker said the new site will com- The new site in Karlovy Vary will end of 2025.
plement its existing integrated production focus on the production of room-tempe-
sites in Burghausen and Nünchritz, rature-curing specialty silicones. Later, Wacker is cooperating with the US-
Germany. The company is thereby creating high-temperature-curing silicone com- based real estate developer Panattoni,
important prerequisites for further opti- pounds will also be produced there. In which is coordinating the construction
mising its production processes. “Our inte- total, Wacker will invest a sum in the low work, and the Czech real estate group
grated production setup in Europe will triple-digit million euro range in Karlovy Accolade, which owns the property and
be even more flexible with Karlovy Vary. Vary and create around 200 jobs by 2028. the building.

BATTERY MATERIALS
Denka invests in carbon nanotubes startup

Japanese chemicals firm, Denka multi- walled carbon nanotubes with the facturing technology in developing car-
Company Ltd. has invested in Carbon features of high purity, uniformly con- bon nanotubes from carbon dioxide as a
Fly, Tokyo-based startup company deve- trolled size and ease of processing based raw material, thereby aiming to establish
loping carbon nanotubes, through a on its proprietary manufacturing method. a sustainable supply chain for lithium-ion
Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) fund jointly batteries. Denka set up the CVC fund in
managed with Pegasus Tech Ventures. Denka said it had been considering January last year in order to promote
collaboration with the startup and its in- the creation of new businesses through
Carbon Fly has been involved in the vestment will help establish a “partner- investment in and/or tie-up with startups
development of nanocarbon materials ship in joint development for improving possessing their own cutting-edge techno-
and their related products, mainly carbon performance in combination with Denka logies from around the world. Denka
nanotubes, using acetylene as a raw Black for the purpose of lithium-ion bat- has planned approximately $100-mn of
material. The company is said to possess tery applications”. In the future, Denka capital spending for initiatives through
technological capabilities for producing will also support Carbon Fly in its manu- CVC by FY2030.

Chemical Weekly July 2, 2024 159

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