Cabot Corp. (Boston, Mass.; www.cabot-corp.com) has committed to build a new world-class fumed silica plant in Carrollton, Kentucky. The plant will be adjacent to the existing Dow Corning silicone monomer plant in Carrollton and is an extension of Cabot’s long-term relationship with Dow Corning. Cabot and Dow Corning have been partners for more than thirty years, with current neighboring operations in Midland, Michigan, USA and Barry, Wales, United Kingdom.
Subject to obtaining the necessary government and regulatory approvals, construction of the plant is expected to begin in late-2017 and be operational by 2020. The project will allow Cabot to continue to meet the market demand for its high-performance fumed silica, improve supply and manufacturing efficiencies, and realize the environmental and safety benefits of collocation with raw material production.
“We are excited to be adding the Carrollton fumed silica plant to our global manufacturing network. This is yet another example of our corporate strategy at play as we continue to invest and strengthen our core market capabilities,” said Nick Cross, executive vice president and president, Performance Chemicals segment. “The new facility will enable us to meet the demands of the growing fumed silica market with high quality CAB-O-SIL fumed silica. We are proud to be extending our presence in North America with Dow Corning, the global leader in silicones, and look forward to strengthening our partnership and the local economy with this project.”
“We greatly value our relationship with Cabot as they are an industry leader in fumed silica production,” said Jim Guidarini, Dow Corning Site Leader. “This project is a natural extension of the work that we have completed together over the past 30 years. We look forward to further working together to meet the needs of the market and are pleased to grow our already successful relationship with Cabot.”
Fumed silica is an ultra-fine, high-purity particle used as a reinforcing, thickening, abrasive, thixotropic, suspending or anti-caking additive. The material is highly versatile and used in a wide-range of end-market applications for the automotive, construction and consumer products industries. Fumed silica helps improve the performance of a wide range of products, including adhesives, sealants, cosmetics, batteries, toners, silicone elastomers, coatings and pharmaceuticals.