Page 23 - Plastics News October 2020

Wacker to build new North American regional Prent to invest $12.5M in New Mexico facility
HQ in Michigan
isconsin based Prent Corp. will make
hemical company Wacker Chemical Corp. is
Cbuilding a new North American innovation centre Winvestments $12.5 million to open a brand new,
and regional headquarters in Pittsfield Charter 62,500-square-foot manufacturing facility in Santa
Township, near Ann Arbor, Michigan. As reported by the Teresa, N.M., to double its capability within the
Ann Arbor Spark business development agency, the subsequent 5 years. The brand new location will
Michigan Economic Development Corp. made the
announcement earlier this month. The project is create 85 new jobs with an anticipated common full-
expected to create 70 new jobs over the next five time wage of $26.14 and a part-time wage of $15.75,
years. The building capacity of more than 300 an Oct. Eight information launch by the state's
employees will include those who will relocate from financial growth division mentioned. The state of New
Wacker's current regional headquarters in Adrian,
Mich. Wacker will continue production of elastomers, Mexico will assist Prent's transfer into the brand new
silicone fluids and silicone emulsions at its existing location, it mentioned, with $500,000 in financial help
Adrian operations, with approximately two-thirds of from its Native Financial Growth Act fund, a job
creation or closing fund. Prent can also be receiving
financial help from Doña Ana County with a proposed
IRB ordinance that goes to public hearings within the

the current employees remaining there. This is
Wacker's second expansion in Michigan in recent years.
In 2017, the company established a silicones research
and development centre in Ann Arbor. Wacker coming weeks. Operations on the new location are
Chemical Corp. is the North American operations of
anticipated to start within the fall of 2021, with
Munich, Germany-based Wacker Chemie AG.
development to begin as quickly as approvals are in
Recently, WACKER opened a global competence center
for thermal interface materials in Shanghai, China. The place, it mentioned. Prent will probably be ISO 13485-
new laboratory located at the company's China certified, have a Class Eight-certified clear room and
headquarters in Caohejing High-Tech Park will conduct make the most of the identical Prent-designed and -
fundamental research in order to develop novel built thermoformers used globally. “For over three
silicone-based thermal interface products and
years we have labored intently with companions
solutions for the electrical vehicle market as well as for
consumer electronics and telecommunication within the area to make this a actuality,” Mark
industries. Over the past decade, thermal interface Rothlisberger, senior vice chairman of producing for
materials (TIM) have been one of the fastest growing Prent, mentioned within the launch. “Time and again,
segments of the materials market globally, with an
we heard that the power of the area is its
average compound annual growth rate of more than six
percent. Widely used in personal computers, consumer collaboration throughout borders. Right this moment's
electronics, automotive and telecommunication announcement is a vindication of that mannequin, one
industries, the demand for silicone-based TIMs is built-in area working collectively in direction of
expected to grow continuously, as power density is success.”
rising exponentially and thermal management systems
become increasingly important.

October 2020 23 Plastics News