International. Evonik announced the opening of its expanded facility in Ako, Japan, where the company will produce its Sipernat and Carplex silica lines.
For the company, the investment represents an increase of approximately 50% in Evonik's Japanese production capacity for specialty silicas, which the specialty chemical company manufactures through DSL. Japan Co., Ltd (DSL).
Evonik holds a 51% stake in DSL, a joint venture with Shionogi & Co., Ltd. in Japan.
"The expansion will allow us to continue to offer high-quality silica that will support the growth of our customers in sophisticated sectors such as food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and industries," explained Andreas Fischer, who spoke at the opening ceremony; Fischer leads the silica business line in the resource efficiency segment. Applications of Sipernat and Carplex include their use in beer filtration, as drug carriers in pharmaceuticals, and as flow aids in powdered food and thickener for toothpastes. "We also anticipate new ideas for other industrial applications, such as paints and coatings," Fischer added.
Evonik also confirmed that it is building a plant in Americana, Brazil, which will be the first plant in South America for highly dispersible (HD) silicas, a product used primarily in tires with low rolling resistance. In the spring of 2015, the company began the initial planning stages of a new world-scale precipitated silica production facility in the United States. The company expects to finish construction by the end of 2017. The overall project (this would be the largest investment Evonik has ever made in North America in the past five years) is still subject to executive approval.
