Wacker’s Silicones business segment manufactures silicone sealants, along with elastomers, emulsions, resins, and many other products. With 6,040 employees as of December 31, 2023, the segment’s total sales reached nearly €2.74 billion (approximately $3.02 billion). This represents a 20.9% decrease over 2022, which the company attributed to "weaker volumes and prices and by exchange-rate effects.” Regionally, sales declined in all three regions, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. (The company does not provide specific adhesives/sealants-related sales and other information.)

According to the company, WACKER is one of the world’s leading actors in the areas of potting compounds and silicone-based thermal interface materials.

NOTES: In May of this year, the company announced the acquisition of the manufacturing assets and know-how of U.S.-based Bio Med Sciences Inc., expanding its expertise and business in silicone-coated healthcare products. In September 2023, the company announced an investment of approximately €150 million to expand its specialty silicone manufacturing capacities at the Zhangjiagang site in Jiangsu Province, China. The company will construct several new production lines, where it will manufacture functional silicone fluids, silicone emulsions and silicone elastomer gels. In March 2023, WACKER announced planned expansion of production and cartridge filling capacities for silicone sealants at its Nünchritz site. Some €20 million has been budgeted for the new manufacturing lines, which are scheduled to begin production in the fall of 2024. In July 2023, Dr. Thomas Koini took over as president of the WACKER SILICONES division upon the retirement of Dr. Robert Gnann.

Opening image courtesy of Wacker Chemie AG.

More on Wacker Chemie AG

• Wacker Acquires Manufacturing Assets and Know-How of Bio Med Sciences
• WACKER Plans New Production Site in the Czech Republic
• WACKER Expands Silicone Production in China