Momentive Performance Materials, a global leader in specialty chemicals and materials, has started construction on a new manufacturing facility dedicated to liquid silicone rubber (LSR) production in Leverkusen, Germany, already a major production site for a number of the company’s silicone and sealant product lines.
The new facility will allow for the increased production of LSR, needed to meet growing demand from global customers and emerging markets. The first phase of the project will be completed by end of 2010.
Over the course of the past two years, Momentive has launched a number of innovations in elastomer technology that have fueled demand for LSR products. These include a highly transparent LSR (Silopren LSR 7000 series) that can replace thermoplastics in specific optical applications; a fully fluorinated LSR that exhibits high resistance to fuels and flex fuels; a fiber-reinforced LSR with unique physical properties; and a silver-based antimicrobial LSR (StatSil antimicrobial elastomers), that can help prevent the spread of microbial infections from medical devices to the human body.
Momentive’s StatSil platform earned international recognition as a recipient of the 2009 Frost & Sullivan “Product Innovation of the Year” Award and the 2010 Ringier “Technology Innovation” Award, while Silopren LSR 7000 was a 2009 Material ConneXion MEDIUM Award finalist for “Material of the Year.”
“Providing customers around the world with high quality LSR is vital to our elastomer business,” said Dr. Robert Gnann, Senior Vice President and Managing Director Silicones EMEA and India, Momentive. “In addition to meeting growing capacity requirements, this investment can help ensure continued consistency, quality and purity of the liquid silicone rubber we produce, which contribute to our leadership position in the global LSR market.”
Full automation and state-of-the-art process control will continue to ensure that the highest quality standards are maintained in the production of Momentive’s LSR offerings. “By steadily investing in our LSR capabilities, we can continue to provide customers around the world with the advanced technology they need to build on their success in different product lines as well as capitalize on new market opportunities,” said Dr. Ian Moore, Senior Vice President and General Manager Silicones Americas, Momentive.
Source: http://www.momentive.com/