Area Development
Wacker Chemie AG, a global chemical manufacturer based in Germany, will invest approximately US$16 million to construct a North American headquarters facility in Upper Macungie Township, Pennsylvania for its Wacker Polymers division, according to a company statement and the Pennsylvania governor's office. The company will create 32 new jobs with the project. Wacker has already broken ground on the 67,000-square-foot facility, which will research and development, marketing, and business support operations. "We are extremely pleased to become a member of the Lehigh Valley-Allentown community, and ideally to be able to continue the strong business and economic relationships already established here through our former joint venture with Air Products and Chemicals," says Arno von der Eltz, global president of Wacker Polymers. The governor's office says the company has been given a $250,000 incentives package that includes a $100,000 grant; $54,000 in job training assistance; and $96,000 in job creation tax credits.