When fully operational, the site will be able to supply over 20,000 metric tons of custom-made silicones per year.

These silicones are used in key technologies such as electromobility, health and medical care and in grid expansion. Wacker states the investment amount to be in the low triple-digit million-euro range and said that 200 new jobs will be created in the first expansion phase.

“Karlovy Vary will be a new and important pillar for our silicone activities in Europe and will strengthen our position as a leading manufacturer of silicone specialties. With today’s groundbreaking ceremony we’ve achieved our first milestone,” said Wacker’s executive board member Christian Kirsten.

According to Wacker, customized silicone elastomers are especially needed where conventional materials cannot or can no longer meet the high and ever-increasing requirements. The main drivers are megatrends such as electromobility, renewable energies and the expansion of electricity grids.

The new site complements Wacker’s existing integrated production sites in Burghausen and Nünchritz, Germany. The company is thereby creating important prerequisites for further optimizing its production processes. “Our integrated production setup in Europe will be even more flexible with Karlovy Vary. It will enable us to serve our customers both in Europe and elsewhere even better,” Kirsten commented.

Wacker said that it is cooperating with US real estate developer Panattoni, which is coordinating the construction work, and Czech real estate group Accolade, which owns the property and the building, the company said.