DSL Japan, a joint venture of Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany) and Japanese pharmaceutical leader Shionogi, has opened a new production line for specialty silicas at the company’s site in Ako, Japan. The new capacities expand the production potential of innovative, custom silica solutions by 30%, enabling DSL Japan to meet growing demand from multiple industries both locally and abroad.
Specialty silica are a key enabler for a wide range of industries, from vehicles to food and agriculture. For example, DSL Japan’s specialty silica products enhance modern automotive exhaust gas systems to comply with new, more stringent environmental regulations. In beer production, silica speed up the filtration process. Silica make complex agrochemical formulations stable and ensure a homogeneous distribution of active ingredients. Thus, the final product is already optimally effective in small quantities.
DSL Japan can tailor the structure and pore size distribution of the silica to the specific needs of the respective customer on the expanded production line as well. The expansion was not without its challenges. DSL Japan President Kenichi Kawamoto stated: “We are very proud that we could execute this important project despite the severe conditions of COVID-19 and meet our customers’ expectations regarding the ambitious project schedule.”
Dr. Florian Kirschner, President of Evonik Japan, added: “We are confident that this expansion will not only meet the strict requirement of our Japanese customers, but also the demands of our overseas customers. We believe that we can contribute with high functionality silica solutions to the sustainable growth of their businesses.”
Among the six Evonik Group production sites in Asia, the DSL Japan site in Ako particularly specializes in silica production, including gel types.