Wacker Chemical Corporation opened its new $50 million innovation center and regional headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The site allows chemists, scientists, and senior leadership, who had previously worked out of three separate Michigan locations, to collaborate in a single space and provides room for expansion and growth, according to state officials. The campus covers 18 acres and serves as the hub of leadership and innovation for WACKER’s North and Central Americas (NCA) region.

“We are pleased to formally open this world-class Innovation Center today to our valued partners,” said WACKER President & CEO David Wilhoit. “The site will serve as an important anchor for our growing operations across North and Central America. This area is home to dozens of research facilities and educational institutions, making it one of the leading communities in Michigan and the entire nation for R&D, enabling the company to network with, and recruit from among, the best high-tech talent in the nation.”

Wacker Chemie AG is a German multinational chemical company which was founded in 1914. The company is operating more than 25 production sites in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

“Michigan is, and has always been, a home for innovators of all kinds to experiment, discover and deploy new technologies and solutions that change the future, and today is no different,” said Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) CEO Quentin L. Messer, Jr. “We’re thrilled to welcome this additional investment from WACKER as the company makes clear that Michigan’s highly skilled workforce and strong advanced manufacturing ecosystem provide a winning combination for it’s continued growth into the next generation and beyond.”