At its headquarters in Adrian, Michigan, Wacker’s US subsidiary Wacker Chemical Corporation runs a technical center for silicones and food ingredient solutions.
MUNICH, GERMANY: Wacker Chemie AG said that it is expanding its R&D facilities for silicones by establishing a new center located in Ann Arbor, US. The facility is donated to support the company’s overall business and product development in the North, Central and South America regions.
In a first phase, the group is investing a single digit million US-dollar figure mainly for equipment and installation of the labs. The facility will officially open in the first half of 2017.
The labs will be operated by Wacker Chemical Corporation (WCC), Wacker’s Adrian, based subsidiary for North, Central and South America, and staffed with highly specialized experts in the field of silicone and polymer chemistry.
Main considerations for selecting the Ann Arbor location were based upon the availability of highly skilled talent pools, close proximity to respected area universities and to Wacker’s production site in Adrian.
“Our facility is among several high-tech development operations in a 90,000 square foot co-work campus,” said David Wilhoit, WCC president and CEO. “This scientific co-work community is ideal for Wacker, and for very good reason: It puts us in the midst of a business incubator atmosphere where ideas can be developed and brought quickly to market.”
“Our aim is to offer long-term technical assistance for customers and support Wacker’s future business growth. By improving research efforts in the field of silicone technology, our emphasis will be on developing new and advanced applications in growth markets such as health, medical and personal care, electronics, life sciences and coatings,” said Robert Gnann, head of the group’s silicone division Wacker Silicones.
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