WACKER Dispersible Polymer Powders Plant Goes On LineWACKER Dispersible Polymer Powders Plant Goes On Line

German chemicals firm WACKER announced Tuesday a new production plant is operational at its Ulsan, South Korea facility, enabling the company to expand its capacity for dispersible polymer powders and dispersions.

Working for some 20 months to install a new spray dryer and construct the new plant, WACKER said the expansion project was in response to a strong construction market in Asia and an uptick in regional demand for sustainable construction solutions.

“By expanding our production capacity, we are boosting Ulsan’s economic competitiveness and ensuring that it will remain the first point of contact for regional manufacturers of building materials seeking to optimize their products with dispersible polymer powders,” Dal-Ho Cho, the head of the Wacker Chemicals Korea subsidiary, said in a company press release.

The newly-commissioned facility features a total capacity of 80,000 mt/yr of fine, dispersible polymer powders. WACKER’s spray driver makes the powders by processing liquid dispersions. Installation of the equipment resulted in the creation of about 50 new jobs at the Ulsan site. 

Powders produced at the facility will be sold under the VINNAPAS brand. The materials are used in construction industry products like tile adhesives, flooring compounds, building adhesives, and joint fillers.

“Our binders not only enhance the properties of building materials, but also make construction activities more resource-efficient,” Peter Summo, head of the WACKER POLYMERS division, said in a statement. “The new plant in Ulsan will help us serve the growing market in Asia and additionally shorten our delivery routes and times.”

WACKER is also installing another reactor for VAE dispersions, which are used as a feedstock for the powders, at the Ulsan facility. The equipment is slated to be commissioned by the first quarter of next year. 

The company invested €65 million (about $71 million) to expand production of dispersible polymer powders at Ulsan, including the new reactor. 

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