TAGS: Sustainability / Natural Coatings
Evonik invests in a plant expansion for precipitated silica at its site in Charleston, USA. The new line in South Carolina is satisfying the high demand in particular from the tire industry in North America. It makes the supply chains of Evonik partners in the region resilient. It does so by enabling local silica sourcing.
Strategic Regional Growth
Silica is key for making fuel-efficient tires. It's also used in products like toothpaste and coatings. The group is investing a mid-double-digit million Euro amount. The construction of the new production line is scheduled to begin in mid-2024. Operations will start in early 2026.
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North America is an important strategic growth region for us," said Maike Schuh. She is the chief financial officer of Evonik and responsible for the Americas region. “
With the investment in Charleston, we are strengthening our strategic customer-centric approach. It also improves our cost and sustainability position.”
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Evonik is investing in new and green solutions and technologies. They offer our customers better sustainability benefits,” added Schuh. With the new line in Charleston, Evonik will increase its production capacity for precipitated silica at the site by 50 percent.
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With this expansion, our state-of-the-art Charleston site becomes a major hub for precipitated and sustainable silica products in North America," said Lauren Kjeldsen. She is the head of the Smart Materials Division, which includes the silica business.
The expansion in Charleston fulfils the need for local-to-local supply chains for tires. Moreover, the company plans to introduce circular raw materials to manufacture ULTRASIL® Silica. This will satisfy the sustainability targets of the tire industry.
Contribution to Sustainability Targets
Evonik has defined a clear roadmap towards carbon neutrality for its Charleston site. “
The commercial and technical teams have worked intensely in the past years to develop a robust expansion concept. We will now implement it," said Emmanuel Auer, head of the Silica Business Line.
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The expansion will help us meet our sustainability targets. It combines the positive handprint of Evonik’s silica technologies with a low carbon footprint. It is underlining Evonik’s commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative," added Auer.
Silica is a key ingredient for fuel-efficient tires. It reduces fuel consumption by up to eight percent compared to conventional passenger car tires. In North America, the demand for tires with reduced rolling resistance and improved fuel efficiency is growing fast.
Evonik has kept investing in modern silica production updates. It has also made strategic acquisitions around the globe to enhance the business. The Charleston facilities are part of a network of 18 precipitated silica production sites globally.
The brands ULTRASIL®, ZEODENT® and
SIPERNAT® are for precipitated silica. Evonik also makes fumed silica under the brand name
AEROSIL®. They also make other products for many industries worldwide.
Source: Evonik