EANS-News: WACKER and Dow Corning Open China´s Largest Integrated Silicone Manufacturing Site

Joint Press Release of WACKER and Dow Corning

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Company Information

Subtitle: Joint Press Release of WACKER and Dow Corning

Zhangjiagang (China) (euro adhoc) - November 18, 2010 - After four
years of construction, Wacker Chemie AG and Dow Corning Corporation
today officially inaugurated their joint integrated silicone
manufacturing site in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province, China. The
facility will serve fast-growing demand for silicone materials in
China and Asia. The combined US$1.8 billion investment, covering 1
million square meters, is China´s largest facility of this kind and
is among the world´s biggest and most advanced integrated silicone
production sites. The integrated site includes a siloxane plant and a
pyrogenic silica plant, both of which are jointly owned by WACKER and
Dow Corning. The site also features finished silicone production
plants which are owned and operated independently by each company.

Siloxane and pyrogenic silica are key ingredients in the manufacture
of finished silicone products. Silicone-based materials are used in
nearly all sectors of China´s booming economy, including automotive,
construction, cosmetics and personal care products, electronics,
power generation and distribution, solar energy and textiles. The
landmark project began in 2006 and the first phase of raw material
production was launched in 2008. The combined capacity for siloxane
and pyrogenic silica is expected to reach approximately 210,000
metric tons per year.

WACKER and Dow Corning are world leaders in silicon-based materials.
To better serve customers in China and Asia with their cutting edge
technology, the two global companies aligned in a joint venture to
build the largest silicone manufacturing site in China. The
innovative alliance offers experience and expertise to the silicone
industry in Asia, which provides enabling technologies and
capabilities to a diverse set of industries.

During an opening ceremony held at the site today, Dr. Rudolf
Staudigl, President and CEO of Wacker Chemie AG, and Dr. Stephanie
Burns, Chairman and CEO of Dow Corning Corporation, emphasized the
strategic importance of the manufacturing site.

"Today´s inauguration of our integrated silicone manufacturing site
represents a milestone for both companies," Dr. Burns said. "While
the economic environment has changed a lot since we broke ground here
four years ago, our commitment to and faith in China´s future has
never changed. Throughout China and in many other parts of Asia, we
see an increasing number of manufacturers using silicones to improve
the performance of their products. Our investment in this site
significantly enhances our ability to meet that need and to spur
growth in many key industries in this region."

In his remarks Dr. Staudigl said: "This is an exciting day for both
WACKER and Dow Corning, for our customers and for the people of
China. The site enables us to serve our customers´ needs, to support
the development of the silicone industry in China, to further grow
our local business, and to contribute to China´s circular economy,
which is an important part in China's commitment to sustainable
development."

At the integrated Zhangjiagang site, Dow Corning and WACKER adhere to
strict global environment health and safety standards (EHS) and
state-of-the-art production processes and technology to ensure high
product quality and performance. These include advanced processes for
raw material efficiency, a highly energy-efficient design and
environmental control technology.

The innovative joint-venture approach, operating shared facilities,
offers economies of scale through the sharing of power, utilities and
subsequent efficiencies. The integrated production technology plays
an important role in reducing emissions and logistical efficiency.

The closed-loop facility will allow the siloxane plant to supply
chlorosilane for the production of pyrogenic silica. In turn, the
pyrogenic silica plant will send back its by-product, hydrogen
chloride (HCL), for the production of siloxane. When the site does
purchase raw materials, many can be sourced locally offering
additional efficiency and cost benefits.

Dow Corning and WACKER are fully committed to sustainable
manufacturing in China. Like their other facilities around the world,
the integrated site was designed and built based on the principles of
sustainable development.

Both WACKER and Dow Corning are members of the Association of
International Chemical Manufacturers, China's first international
association that deals with chemical issues. The members work to
continually improve their performance in terms of environment,
health, safety and security practices and share best practices for
sustainable production with their Chinese peers, providing
professional solutions to issues China and many other nations are
facing.

About Siloxane and Pyrogenic Silica Siloxane is a key starting
material for the production of silicones. Major silicone application
industries include: construction, automotive, electronics, beauty &
personal care, healthcare, coating, power & utility, solar, textile,
and paper. Pyrogenic silica is used as an active filler in silicone
elastomers, as a viscosity-adjusting agent in coatings, printing
inks, adhesives, unsaturated polyester resins and plastisols or as a
flow aid, for example in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical and
food-processing industries.

About WACKER Wacker Chemie AG (www.wacker.com) is a globally
operating chemical company headquartered in Munich, Germany. With a
wide range of state-of-the-art specialty products, WACKER is a leader
in numerous industrial sectors. Its products support countless
high-growth end-user sectors such as photovoltaics, electronics,
pharmaceuticals and household/personal care products. The WACKER
Group posted total sales of about EUR 3.7 billion in 2009, of which
some 80 percent were generated outside Germany. WACKER employs
approximately 15,600 people at 26 production sites in Europe, the
Americas and Asia, and about 100 sales offices worldwide. Wacker
Chemie AG is listed at the Frankfurt (Germany) Stock Exchange (ISIN:
DE000WCH8881).

About Dow Corning Dow Corning (www.dowcorning.com) provides
performance-enhancing solutions to serve the diverse needs of more
than 25,000 customers worldwide. A global leader in silicones,
silicon-based technology and innovation, Dow Corning offers more than
7,000 products and services via the company´s Dow Corning® and
XIAMETER® brands. Dow Corning is equally owned by The Dow Chemical
Company and Corning, Incorporated. More than half of Dow Corning´s
annual sales are outside the United States.

Note for editors:
Photos are available for download at
http://www.wacker.com/pressreleases

end of announcement euro adhoc
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ots Originaltext: Wacker Chemie AG
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:

Wacker Chemie AG

Christof Bachmair (Europe and U.S.)

Tel.: +49 (0)89 6279 1830

E-Mail: christof.bachmair@wacker.com

Jessica He (China)

Tel.?+ 86 21 6100 3588

E-mail?jessica.he@wacker.com

Dow Corning Corporation

Jarrod Erpelding (U.S.)

Tel.: + 1 989 496 1582

E-mail: jarrod.erpelding@dowcorning.com

Branche: Chemicals
ISIN: DE000WCH8881
WKN: WCH888
Index: Midcap Market Index, MDAX, CDAX, Classic All Share, HDAX,
Prime All Share
Börsen: Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard