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The US-based specialty chemicals & performance materials company Cabot Corporation and its joint venture partner Inner Mongolia Hengyecheng Silicone Co Ltd (HYC) have started construction work on their new fumed silica manufacturing facility in Wuhai, China.
The project, announced in September 2016, is scheduled to be completed in 2019, and will further Cabot’s position as a leading producer of fumed silica. Cabot and HYC are investing approximately $60 million to build a fumed silica manufacturing facility, with Cabot owning an 80 percent equity interest. In this mutually beneficial relationship, Cabot brings advanced fumed silica production technology and a strong leadership position in the rapidly growing region while HYC provides a long-term reliable source of feedstock.
Cab-O-Sil fumed silica is a key ingredient in a variety of applications, including silicone elastomers, composites, adhesives, coatings, energy storage and consumer goods. Cabot’s fumed silica production technology ensures a high-performing and consistent fumed silica product that helps customers advance solutions in growth markets such as automotive, construction and renewable energy.
The new facility will have a manufacturing capacity of 8,000 metric tonnes of fumed silica per year. Cabot’s latest technological advances will be incorporated in the plant design and operations. These technologies will enhance Cabot’s leadership position in the industry, while promoting an industry standard in energy efficiency and recycling of by-product streams.
“This investment is an important milestone in our corporate strategy to extend our leadership in performance materials by investing for growth in our core businesses. We are proud of our industry and technology leadership in China, and this project further demonstrates our long-term commitment to this important core market,” said Sean Keohane, president and chief executive officer, Cabot Corporation.
Wang Yongquan, chairman of Zhejiang Zhongcheng Holding Group Co Ltd, parent company of HYC, added, “We are very glad to establish this partnership with Cabot. We will provide all-around support for the construction and operation of the new plant. HYC will work closely with Cabot to produce high quality silicone downstream products, in order to meet the growing demands of the Chinese market.”
