Munich -- Wacker, the Munich-based chemical group, started operating several silicone-polymer production lines at its Burghausen site. The lines are for high-purity specialty silicones, encapsulation and coating compounds, as well as UV-activated silicones for the medical, LED and electronics industries. As these products must meet particularly high quality and purity requirements, a new cleanroom facility was added to the site. By expanding its cleanroom capacity, Wacker can continue to extend its leading position in the field of high-purity silicones and encapsulants.

The new facility sets standards in the manufacture of high-purity silicones. It meets Wackers novel Clean Operations principles and thus fulfills quality and purity standards otherwise only typical of the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries. "In general, this plant is operating according to selected Good Manufacturing Practice principles, which makes it one of a kind worldwide," said Dr. Bernd Pachaly, head of the Engineering Silicones business unit, at the start of production in early July.

Production, filling and logistics are housed separately and can only be accessed from outside via special airlocks. Particularly strict regulations apply to filling operations. Here, aside from special stipulations regarding clothing and hygiene, air and particle filters ensure compliance with the international ISO standard for class 8 cleanrooms. Also, nothing about quality assurance has been left to chance. Every single production step is monitored and documented constantly. "This is how we can make sure that our products leave the plant in top condition and meet all required quality standards," explained Pachaly.

The new clean-operations facility produces SILPURAN and ELASTOSIL silicone elastomers for medical applications, as well as highly specialized LUMISIL, SEMICOSIL, and Wacker SilGel silicone products for encapsulating and coating electronic components. There is also a production line for UV silicones. "In many areas, such as medical technology and electronics, demands on the materials used will continue to become tougher and tougher," the silicones expert added. "Our new product lines and expanded cleanroom capacity enable us to provide customers with even better and longer-lasting support in meeting the rising material requirements encountered in individual industrial sectors."