WACKER SILICONES

The strategy at WACKER SILICONES is focused on high utilization of our production capacity and increasing the proportion of value added, while keeping raw-material consumption at current levels. We have established differentiated marketing strategies for selling standard and specialty products.

This strategy is accompanied by the development of new products that should increasingly contribute to revenue in the coming years. We have set our research priorities accordingly and realigned our innovation portfolio. The Asian region is an important focus of our market activities.

WACKER POLYMERS

WACKER POLYMERS remains firm in the pursuit of its strategy of profitable growth in dispersions and dispersible polymer powders. The key is to develop regional production capacities for dispersions and polymer powders so that local and regional customer demand can be met both promptly and cost-effectively. To this end, it is important to develop product solutions that are specifically tailored to local application requirements. WACKER continued this systematic approach in 2015 and commissioned new production plants in Burghausen (Germany) and in Calvert City, Kentucky (USA). An important aspect of our strategy is to develop new applications for our products, thereby also improving their properties so that they can replace other products.

WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS

WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS continues to concentrate on the pharmaceutical, agrochemical and food industries. We increasingly draw on chemical-biotech synergies to provide our customers with complete solutions for their specific market needs. The success of our products in the industries we serve is based on a strong customer focus. Consequently, the division’s organizational structure is firmly oriented to customers and markets. WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS will focus even more on innovation to achieve future sales growth.

WACKER POLYSILICON

WACKER POLYSILICON’s strategic aims are to maintain its quality and cost leadership as a hyperpure-polysilicon manufacturer, and to expand its production capacities in line with market growth. The new facilities at the site in Charleston, Tennessee (USA) will add a further 20,000 metric tons to the division’s production capacity by the end of 2016. The cost position is a key factor for success in this competitive market, which is why we continue to focus on reducing costs by improving productivity and optimizing our supplier base.

SILTRONIC

At Siltronic, there are four coordinated strategic priorities. By concentrating on lead sites, we will enhance capacity utilization and cost structures. With regard to individual wafer diameters, our focus is on the fast-growing 300 mm silicon wafer segment in Asia. One ongoing strategic task is to implement productivity, cost-saving and flexibility initiatives to improve production processes and workflows. Investments in product developments are aimed at fulfilling the latest design-rule specifications and implementing quality-enhancing measures. Investments are lower than the amount of depreciation. The IPO of Siltronic AG on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange has enhanced the company’s strategic growth options and its possibilities for raising capital. With a stake of 57.8 percent, WACKER remains Siltronic AG’s majority shareholder.