Evonik Opens New Plant for Specialty Silicones in Shanghai

Evonik has started up a new plant in Shanghai, China, for production of a wide range of organically modified specialty silicones. The products, which are manufactured in batch processes, are used in, for example, polyurethane, paints, and coatings applications as well as in a variety of industrial applications.
Christian Kullmann, Chairman of the Executive Board of Evonik, formally inaugurated the plant on September 5, and said: “The plant is yet another important cornerstone in Evonik’s growth strategy. We’re focusing on businesses with a clear orientation toward specialty chemicals and on powerful innovations to significantly increase the value of the company.”
The specialty chemicals group invested a high two-digit million euro sum in the construction of the new production facilities. Construction took only about a year.
The new plant has simplified Evonik’s supply chain. “Because we now produce many specialty silicones locally, we no longer need to ship them from Europe or North America to Asia. This enables us to react faster to requests and increases our flexibility,” said Claus Rettig, Chairman of the Management Board of the Resource Efficiency Segment.
The new plant is part of a global integrated production system that is the backbone for the manufacture of about 3 000 different products.