Key Events Affecting Business Performance

Acquisitions and investments

WACKER made no acquisitions in 2025, nor did it invest in other companies.

Divestitures

WACKER did not divest any business fields or product operations in 2025.

Capital expenditures

Capital expenditures in 2025 were lower than the year before, reaching about €466 million (2024: €709 million). Investing activities worldwide covered all four divisions and focused on expanding capacities to meet customer demand and growth opportunities. In order to accelerate growth in our biotech business, WACKER invested in additional research capacities. The company opened a Biotechnology Center in Munich in summer 2025 to focus on research into production processes for foodstuffs and dietary supplements. WACKER has invested an amount running into the double-digit millions in the center’s construction. At Burghausen, WACKER increased its production capacities in 2025 for semiconductor-grade polysilicon and for ultrapure hydrogen chloride, which is used as an etching and cleaning agent in semiconductor manufacturing. The new facility has enabled WACKER to increase capacities for hyperpure semiconductor-grade polysilicon by more than 50 percent and to further enhance purity levels. WACKER also invested more funds into silicone production facilities: the company set up a production plant for specialty silicones in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. From 2026 onwards, this plant will produce room-temperature-curing high-performance silicones. At the Zhangjiagang site in China, capacity was expanded to include the manufacture of silicone fluids, silicone emulsions and silicone elastomer gels. WACKER also commissioned two new production facilities for specialty silicones in Tsukuba, Japan, and Jincheon, South Korea. A new facility for manufacturing hybrid polymers, which are used as binders in high-quality adhesives and sealants, started production in Nünchritz, Germany.