Shin-Etsu to increase silicone capacity, set up R&D unit in US

Tokyo –  Shin-Etsu Chemical plans to increase production capacity of silicone monomer at its Thailand plant in Rayong province by 50 percent – from the present annual production of 70,000 tonne to 105,000 tonnes.

At the same time, silicone polymer production capacity at the Thai facility is to increase by about 40 percent – from 54,000 tonnes to 74,000 tonnes.

Construction of the facilities is scheduled to be completed in 2017, and the investment amount is estimated to be about ¥20 billion (€150 million).

The expansions are a part of parent group Shin-Etsu’s plans to expand its silicones business in response to growing global demand.

Shin-Etsu added that it intends to set up a new technical centre in New Jersey to meet the US demand for silicone products and work on the development of new applications.

The Japanese chemicals company operates silicone polymer plants in Texas and Ohio, US, the company

Shin-Etsu said that its silicones business had grown in the past few years achieving a market share of over 50 percent in Japan.