EANS-News: WACKER Opens New Chinese Headquarters in Shanghai

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Subtitle: - CEO Staudigl stresses the importance of China as a
strategic growth market and rejects import duties on solar products -
At €1 billion, China represents about one-fifth of WACKER Group sales
- New laboratories for R&D and applications technology strengthen
WACKER’s position as a leading supplier of silicone and polymer
products in China

Company Information

Shanghai (euro adhoc) - December 14, 2012 - Wacker Chemie AG
officially opened its new company headquarters for the Greater China
region (Mainland China and Taiwan) in Shanghai today. With a large
number of guests drawn from industry and administrative authorities
in attendance, Rudolf Staudigl, president & CEO of the Munich-based
chemical group, and Executive Board member Wilhelm Sittenthaler
officially declared the headquarters open. The new Shanghai Center,
which occupies some 10,000 square meters, features offices for
marketing, sales and administrative functions along with numerous
laboratories for R&D and applications technology. It also boasts the
latest equipment for WACKER experts to adapt silicone and polymer
products to the specific requirements of their Chinese customers.
Applications range from dry-mix mortars and exterior insulation and
finish systems for construction purposes, to paints and coatings,
through to products for the automotive, cosmetics and textile
sectors. In launching the new research and testing laboratories in
collabora¬tion with its customers, the Munich-based chemical group is
seeking to further expand its technology leadership in high-quality
silicone and polymer products for the Chinese market.

During a press conference in Shanghai on Friday, CEO Staudigl
stressed the strategic importance of China as a growth market for
WACKER. "The Greater China region has evolved into our single most
important market. China is the world's largest chemical market. We
expect Chinese demand for high-quality chemical products to keep
rising in the years ahead." Last year, WACKER's roughly 900 employees
in China and Taiwan generated sales of EUR1.03 billion, or around
one-fifth of the Group total.

Referring to the ongoing investigations in the USA, Europe and China
concerning the imposition of tariffs on solar products, Staudigl
reaffirmed his opposition to trade barriers. "We were one of the
first to speak out against any kind of protectionism because, in a
trade war, there can only be losers," he said. "Low prices are the
reason why solar products have been successful on a global scale.
Consequently, any money that has to be spent on punitive tariffs
cannot go toward research and innovation. That would artificially
raise the price of solar products and slow down the global shift
toward renewable energy sources. WACKER will continue to do all it
can to ensure that any contentious issues are resolved through
negotiation, just as German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on a recent
trip to Beijing."

Having operated its own subsidiary in Greater China for 20 years now,
WACKER has greatly expanded its activities in the region over recent
years. Investments in China to date come to around EUR400 million.
This figure is set to exceed EUR600 million in the next four years.
WACKER has eight sales offices in the most important economic regions
of China, as well as two technical centers and four production sites.
Its Zhangjiagang and Nanjing sites produce silicones, dispersions
and dispersible polymer powders. The plants there are the largest of
their kind in China. To meet strong demand growth from customers,
WACKER is currently doubling its dispersions production capacity in
Nanjing to 120,000 metric tons per year. The additional capacity is
primarily intended for paints, coatings and adhesives. WACKER is also
building a new polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) plant there with an annual
production capacity of 20,000 metric tons. Both plants are scheduled
to come on stream next year.

Further inquiry note:
Christof Bachmair
Media Relations & Information
Tel.: +49 (0)89 6279 1830
E-Mail: christof.bachmair@wacker.com

end of announcement euro adhoc
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company: Wacker Chemie AG
Hanns-Seidel-Platz 4
D-81737 München
phone: +49 (0) 89 6279 01
FAX: +49 (0) 89 6279 1770
mail: info@wacker.com
WWW: http://www.wacker.com
sector: Chemicals
ISIN: DE000WCH8881
indexes: MDAX, CDAX, Prime All Share
stockmarkets: free trade: Hannover, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart,
regulated dealing: Berlin, regulated dealing/prime standard:
Frankfurt
language: English