Wacker-Chemie GmbH and Dymatic Chemicals Inc. have set up a joint venture in Shunde, China, for the manufacture and marketing of silicone products used primarily in the textile, leather and fibre industries. The joint venture, operating as Wacker Dymatic Silicones Shunde Co. Ltd., aims to provide the Chinese market with silicone emulsions and process auxiliaries ideally suited to local needs. Business operations are scheduled to start before the end of this year.
Dr. Christoph von Plotho, president of Wacker Silicones, says: China is an extremely important market for us. China’s textile industry has become the largest producer worldwide. Market experts anticipate further growth of 15 to 20 % for 2005. The demand for silicone products in this sector is developing at a similar rate.”
Dymatic’s extensive distribution network will allow Wacker to penetrate China’s textile, leather and fibre markets far more quickly than would have been possible alone, and in return, the partnership will give Dymatic access to state-of-the-art silicone products.
Silicones are often essential both for conferring certain properties in the production of textiles, leather and fibres, and for ensuring that the production processes themselves run smoothly. As finishing agents, silicones generate the highly prized soft hand of textiles and increase water repellency. Foam-control emulsions are highly effective process auxiliaries, as used for instance in wastewater treatment.
German-based Wacker Silicones offers one-stop solutions for products, services and strategies in the silicones field. Dymatic Chemicals, Inc., headquartered in Shunde, Guangdong province, is a Chinese supplier of process auxiliaries and finishing agents based on silicones and organic chemicals.
