Evonik has broken ground on a new plant to produce organically modified specialty silicones in China. The project is part of a global silicones expansion program that the German company announced in March 2015.

The facility is located on the Multi-User-Site (MUSC) in the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park and completion is planned for the middle of 2017. Capacity details were not disclosed but investment costs were put in the high double-digit million euro range.

Klaus Engel, chairman of Evonik’s executive board, said the company wanted to expand specialty silicones capacity in Asia to serve rising demand with local production.