Wacker expands production capacity at Burghausen

Wacker Chemie AG is expanding its existing production plants for polymeric binders in Germany. The Munich-based chemical group is currently building another dispersion reactor with an annual capacity of 60,000 metric tonne at its Burghausen site. Some €25 million have been earmarked for production and local-infrastructure expansion. The plant is scheduled for completion before the end of the year.

Wacker’s dispersions are commonly used to formulate low-odor and low-emission indoor paints, but can also be found in plasters, adhesives, carpet applications or technical textiles. Moreover, they are the key raw material for the production of dispersible polymer powders for construction applications. Wacker manufactures these powders by spray drying at its Burghausen site.

“The enlargement of our dispersion production in Burghausen is part of our strategy to achieve further profitable growth through expansions at existing production plants,” said Rudolf Staudigl, President and CEO of Wacker Chemie AG, explaining the investment measure. “The additional capacity will strengthen our market position as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of dispersions and dispersible polymer powders, and will help us meet our customers’ continuously increasing demand over the long term,” emphasised CEO.

In this way, Wacker is taking account of the globally rising demand for high-quality polymeric binders, which is being driven by worldwide trends such as urbanisation, renovation and energy efficiency. Alongside the new reactor, the Group is also investing in the expansion and modernisation of local infrastructure. “We are not only making a key contribution to supply security in the years to come, but also to the cost-efficient production of our dispersions and dispersible polymer powders,” explained Peter Summo, Head of Wacker Polymers’ business division.

With over 60 years’ experience in the development and production of dispersions and dispersible polymer powders, Wacker is a global technology and market leader in the field of vinyl-acetate-based copolymers and terpolymers. The binders find use in sectors such as construction, paints, coatings and adhesives, for example for formulating high-quality tile adhesives, cementitious waterproofing membranes, energy-saving external thermal insulation composite systems, or low-odour, low-emission interior paints.

Wacker Polymers is a leading producer of state-of-the-art binders and polymeric additives based on polyvinyl acetate and vinyl acetate copolymers. These take the form of dispersible polymer powders, dispersions, solid resins, and solutions. They are used in construction chemicals, paints and surface coatings, adhesives, carpet applications and nonwovens, as well as in fiber composites and polymeric materials based on renewable resources. Wacker Polymers has production sites in Germany, China, South Korea and the USA, as well as a global sales network and technical centres in all major regions.