On May 21, 2025, the organic silicone oil and lotion project of Wacker Chemical Zhangjiagang Base was officially completed and put into operation, with a total investment of more than 1 billion yuan. The project will increase the annual production capacity of 50000 tons of high-end silicone oil, with products covering cosmetics grade silicone oil, medical grade silicone oil and special elastomer gel, to meet the diversified needs of the Chinese market. As a global leader in the silicone industry, Wacker Group has been deeply rooted in China for over 30 years, and this expansion is an important step in its "rooting in China and serving the world" strategy.


Technology empowers high-end application scenarios
The new project adopts Wacker's globally leading microreactor technology, producing high-purity silicone oil products with a purity of 99.99%, which can be widely used in fields such as skincare, medical beauty fillers, and new energy vehicle battery packaging. Among them, cosmetic grade silicone oil has passed the EU ECOCERT certification and has established partnerships with international brands such as Est é e Lauder and L'Oreal; Medical grade silicone oil is used as an artificial joint lubricant and drug delivery carrier, breaking through foreign technological monopolies. After the project is put into operation, we will shorten the delivery cycle of high-end silicone oil products and help China's manufacturing industry climb to the top of the value chain, "said Hu Wentao, President of Wacker China


Green production leads industry transformation
The project strictly follows Wacker's global sustainable development standards and adopts a closed-loop water circulation system and VOCs catalytic combustion device to achieve zero wastewater discharge and ultra-low exhaust emissions. The carbon footprint of silicone oil products produced by the base has been reduced by 40% compared to traditional processes. They have passed carbon label certification and become designated suppliers for companies such as Tesla and CATL. At the completion ceremony, Han Wei, Secretary of the Zhangjiagang Municipal Party Committee, pointed out that the Wacker project will drive the local chemical industry to upgrade towards high-end, intelligent, and green industries, injecting new momentum into the creation of a billion dollar advanced polymer material cluster


The synergistic effect of the industrial chain is highlighted
The Wacker Zhangjiagang base has formed a close collaborative network with surrounding enterprises: its silicone oil products provide key raw materials for downstream silicone rubber enterprises, while the recycling enterprises in the park purify and regenerate waste silicone oil, forming a circular chain of "raw materials products renewable resources". Data shows that after the project is put into operation, the local supporting rate of Zhangjiagang's organic silicon industry chain will increase from 65% to 82%, driving employment of over 2000 people. At present, Wacker is jointly building a laboratory with Soochow University to develop next-generation products such as bio based silicone oil, with an expected industrial application by 2026.