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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Germany-Based WACKER Expands Charleston, Tennessee, Operations

08/02/2022
Global chemical R&D and manufacturing company WACKER will expand its operations with new silicone production facilities in Charleston, Tennessee. The $200 million project is expected to create 200 jobs in Bradley County over the coming years.

A feasibility study is currently underway for the first step of the company’s plans to expand production within its existing campus, which will add plants to manufacture high-consistency silicone rubber and silicone sealants.

“We are pleased to explore the expansion of our production capability in Charleston and add jobs in a market that continues to grow. This additional manufacturing capability allows us to continue to expand our global portfolio for downstream products while accelerating our growth and adding high-quality, well-paying jobs in Tennessee,” WACKER-Charleston’s Senior Director and Site Leader Ken Collins added.

In 2015, WACKER-Charleston began production of hyper-pure polysilicon used in semiconductor and high-efficiency solar cells. In 2019, the company added production of pyrogenic silica. With the newly announced expansion of these specialty silicones, WACKER will have invested nearly $3 billion in Southeast Tennessee in less than a decade.

“Germany is one of Tennessee’s top countries for foreign direct investment, so we appreciate this additional investment from WACKER, a company that could have chosen anywhere in the world to expand its global footprint. TNECD continues to support the growth and opportunities that will result from WACKER’s expansion in Bradley County, and I thank the company for its continued partnership,” added TNECD Commissioner Stuart McWhorter.

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

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