Page 22 - Plastics News April 2018

CompAny news

Wacker grows product portfolio with Indian plant expansion

acker Chemie AG announced that its subsidiary “Our new hydrosilylation plant enables us to address
Win India, Wacker Metroark Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., is promising new markets where we haven’t been represented
expanding its existing silicone production at its Amtala in India and Southeast Asia until now – for example the
site near Kolkata with a new hydrosilylation plant for market for silicone functional fluids with its many sales
manufacturing functional silicone fluids. The plant opportunities,” said Soumitra Mukherjee, Managing
with an annual capacity of over 6,000 metric tons was Director of Wacker Metroark Chemicals. “In this way, we
officially opened at a ceremony in Amtala. The expansion intend to secure our position as the market and technology
is Wacker’s response to growing regional demand for leader for silicones in the region and provide a basis for
specialty silicones for use in the textile, personal-care, further growth.”
rigid and flexible polyurethane foam and agrochemical
sectors. The investment for the plant amounts to around
Sonoco Products buying Florida-
€6 million.
based thermoformer

onoco Products Co. is expanding its PET
Sthermoforming business with the acquisition of a
Florida-based packaging maker. The company struck a
$150 million deal for Highland Packaging Solutions Inc.
of Plant City, Florida. The purchase brings $90 million
of annual business to Sonoco through one production
facility and five warehouse locations in the Southeast
“With this expansion of our production, we are broadening and on the West Coast. Buying Highland gives Sonoco an
our product portfolio and can thereby open up new entry into the egg packaging market, which the company
markets in the growth regions of India and Southeast Asia,” says is growing. Global consumption of eggs was 170
explained Christian Hartel, Executive Board member at per person in 2014 and is expected to increase to more
Wacker Chemie AG with responsibility for Asia, at the than 200 per person by 2021, the company said. Egg
opening ceremony today. “This investment underscores packaging was
the commitment of WACKER to the Indian market and a $4.2 billion
shows that our company is continuously growing its business two
technical expertise and capacities in Asia.” Hydrosilylation yea rs ago
is a chemical process in which organofunctional groups, and expected
such as glycols, olefins or ketones, are “docked” onto to be $5.35
the periphery of silicones. This is done in order to modify billion in
the properties of the end product and render a silicone 2021, Sonoco
fluid, for example, hydrophobic (water-repellent) or said."Joining
hydrophilic (water-attracting). Hydrosilylation silicone o ur two
products reduce the incompatibilities between oils and companies together will enable the best of both
water, thereby improving the compatibility with organic companies to be integrated and serve our customers,
systems. The second application area of the new products and will enable Highland to further enhance our speed
manufactured in Amtala are polyurethane foams, in which to service and our ability to offer customers the most
functional silicone fluids serve as additives for adjusting diverse consumer packaging formats and solutions in
the cell structure. Such foams are used in car interior trim the industry," said Highland CEO Steve Maxwell in a
and insulation materials. Silicone fluids and emulsions statement. Privately held Highland has been owned
are also used in personal care products (e.g. shampoos), by Maxwell, John Durham and certain members of the
in softeners for the textile industry and in agricultural company's leadership team, Sonoco said. The company
applications. has 425 workers.

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