Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) has opened its expanded production plant for precipitated silica in Rayong, Thailand. With this investment, Evonik increased its capacity for precipitated silica for the automotive industry, food and animal feed industry, as well as the paints and coatings industry. Used in the tire and rubber industry, the combination of silica with silanes enables tire manufacturers to produce tires of much lower rolling resistance, thus reducing the overall fuel consumption by up to eight percent compared to traditional tires. 
The silica production facility, now a joint venture between Evonik Industries and Oriental Siam Company, was founded in 1990.
Evonik opens expanded silica plant in Thailand
| By Mary Page Bailey