Evonik is planning to invest "triple-digit" millions of euros in the coming years to expand global production of specialty silicones. Patrik Wohlhauser, executive board member and chief operating officer of Evonik, said: "With our investment initiative we want to strengthen our position as a technology leader and reach new market opportunities."

The specialty silicones market has continued to grow, primarily driven by demand from the construction, textile, coating, furniture and appliance industries, particularly in Asia. Evonik is building a new plant for specialty silicones in Shanghai, China, and said it has plans to further increase production in Essen, Germany, where it is currently bringing additional capacity on stream.

No plant capacity details or a specific timescale for the expansion programme were revealed. Specialty silicones are used in a wide range of applications, including plastics additives, defoaming agents, in formulating insulating material, and in coatings and inks.