The group will invest in the UK, China and India

Silicones market leader Dow Corning has embarked on a major global expansion programme in response to buoyant global demand for the versatile polymers.

The US group’s Barry site in the UK is at the forefront of the spending plans which also involve investment in China and India. A “stretch” project at Barry, already the world’s largest silicone monomer feedstock source, will come on-stream in October, adding 15% to the plant’s capacity (PRW 12 December 2003).

The project involves installing new equipment as well as reliability improvements, identified through the application of six sigma principles. Global product line manager Courtney Rowe said: “This increase at the largest and most technologically advanced facility for the manufacture of silicon-based materials in the world represents a significant increase in available product in the market.”

Dow Corning said further investment at the plant will be made during 2006. The focus of this exercise will be reducing bottlenecks and improving reliability at the Welsh site, a spokeswoman explained this week. Overall, the two projects are expected to cost some $30m to $40m (E25m to E33m).

Dow Corning is linking up with rival Wacker for the Chinese investment, which will involve a world-scale facility to be completed by the end of the decade. India, where some land has recently been acquired, is also on the Dow Corning expansion agenda.