Investment program to expand production capacity and optimize manufacturing processes
Topping-out ceremony for new production facilities for silicon dioxide wafers
Merck, a leading science and technology company, is significantly expanding its global production capacities and optimizing its effect pigment manufacturing processes. Around 750 employees work at the Gernsheim site, which is also home to Merck's largest pigment production facility worldwide. The new facilities will significantly increase production capacities for silicon dioxide wafers, a special substrate for a whole range of unique effect pigments. At the end of last month, Merck celebrated the topping-out ceremony of its new production facility in Gernsheim. The EUR 28 million investment is part of several initiatives aimed at further expanding the company's pigments business.
"With this investment, we will be able to better serve our customers' needs in the future and further expand our role as a leading supplier of premium effect pigments," said Dorothea Wenzel, Head of the Surface Solutions business unit in Merck's Performance Materials business sector. "Merck can look back on a long tradition in these markets for specialty products, because this year we are celebrating the 60th anniversary of our Pigments business. We are now looking forward to adding further exciting chapters to this success story."
Merck's silica-based Colorstream® and Xirona® product lines for automotive coatings and decorative cosmetics are very well received and serve current market trends. Depending on the viewing angle, these pigments can achieve unique color changes, allowing manufacturers of coatings and cosmetics to create impressive formulations. Once completed, the new facilities will lead to a significant increase in the production volume of silica substrate and will sustainably expand supply capacities for these sought-after effect pigments. Commissioning of the new production line is scheduled for the second half of 2021.
The Surface Solutions business unit is part of Merck's Performance Materials business sector. It bundles the company's specialty chemicals business and supplies solutions for displays, computer chips and surfaces of all kinds. A strategic focus of Performance Materials is the electronics industry. The business sector also serves attractive growth markets in the automotive and cosmetics industries.
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