Wacker Chemie AG (Munich, Germany; www.wacker.com) is expanding the capacity of its silicon-metal site at Holla in Norway. The Munich-based chemical group is constructing an additional plant there, with world-scale annual capacity. Capital expenditures of around €85 million are budgeted for the capacity increase and for expanding local infrastructure. Completion of the plant is expected during the first half of 2019.
“Expanding our silicon-metal capacity at this site is a key strategic step in our sourcing of raw materials,” says Wacker Chemie AG’s CEO, Rudolf Staudigl, as he explained the reasons behind the investment decision. “At present, Holla covers around a quarter of our silicon-metal requirements. Capacity expansion there is necessary to maintain this scale of coverage in the future. The fact that we produce silicon metal ourselves makes us more independent of price fluctuations on raw-material markets and, at the same time, boosts the reliability of our supplies during peak-demand periods,” the Group’s CEO pointed out.
Silicon metal is one of Wacker’s most important raw materials. It is needed for producing silicones and hyperpure polysilicon.