Wacker, a global company offering -art specialty chemical products has achieved yet another milestone in the expansion of its silicone capacities in India.
A new production complex for manufacturing silicone emulsions went into operation at Wacker’s Panagarh site. The facility produces GMP-certified silicones for the cosmetics and personal care industries. The new plant will increase the group’s silicone emulsion production capacities in India significantly. The expansion will create 60 new jobs at the site.
The goods manufactured at the 15,000-square-meter complex fully comply with the good manufacturing practice (GMP) guidelines of the European Federation for Cosmetic Ingredients EFfCI. “Our facilities in Panagarh are truly world-class and will produce top-quality, high-purity products which are in great demand, in particular in the cosmetics and personal care industries,” announced Wacker Executive Board member Christian Kirsten at the commissioning ceremony.
For Wacker, the personal care industry is one of the main pillars of its silicone business in India. Wacker’s fully consolidated joint venture Wacker Metroark Chemicals (WMC) is a leading supplier of silicone raw materials for cosmetic products, shampoos, and personal-care applications. In addition to local manufacturers, the company’s customer base also includes international consumer goods companies.
“The demand for our silicone products remains unabated, and we expect to see further significant growth in India,” said Tom Koini, head of Wacker’s Silicones division. “By expanding our production in Panagarh, we are ideally positioned to meet this rising demand and to support the growth of our customers.”
Wacker began its silicones production in India in 1999. At the Amtala site near Kolkata, the company has been manufacturing silicone fluids, emulsions, and silicone rubber compounds among other silicone products. In 2022, Wacker began operations at its 165,000 square meter site in Panagarh. Here, the company has been producing silicone rubber and ready-to-use silicone compounds for the electromobility, medical technology, and electrical power supply industries.
Following the commissioning of the second expansion phase, Wacker’s Panagarh site now represents a second mainstay for producing silicone emulsions in India. Through further expansion measures, Wacker aims at making the site assume a leading role in the regional silicones supply chain. In future, Amtala – hitherto the hub of silicone fluids and emulsion production in India – will increasingly focus on product and process development.
“The successful completion of the expansion work in Panagarh is key to our future success in India,” declared Sascha Büchel, managing director Wacker Metroark during the opening ceremony.
“Our main site in Amtala has played an outstanding role. But Amtala is increasingly being stretched to its limits. Panagarh provides us the space, infrastructure, and flexibility we need to continue our success story in India.”
