WACKER Expands Technical Center in Mumbai to Include Dispersion Applications for Coatings
WACKER, the Munich-based chemical company, has expanded its technical center in India. This center of excellence located in Goregaon, a suburb of Mumbai, now also includes laboratories, applications technology and test equipment for polymer dispersions for coatings and paint applications. These dispersions are needed for interior and exterior paints in the coatings industry. The expansion not only enables WACKER to support its Indian customers to develop new and locally adapted formulations, but also encourages the exchange of know-how and promotes internationally recognized quality standards in India.
The expansion was made necessary by India’s strong economic growth, particularly with regard to sophisticated coatings applications. This measure will help WACKER to further bolster its position as the market and technology leader for vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer (VAE) dispersions used as binders for demanding coatings and paint applications.
“The expansion of our technical center is another milestone in our growth strategy”, said Raman Trikala, managing director Wacker Chemie India. The company therefore continues investing in its Indian technical center to augment and refine its applications technology and customer service in the region. “Our top-notch equipped technical center here in India’s economic hub Mumbai sets new standards in service, advice and transfer of expertise, offering our customers and business partners considerable added value.”
The expansion has focused on dispersions based on vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymers used as binders for interior and exterior paints in the coatings industry. The dispersions marketed under the brand name VINNAPAS® have an enormous application and performance range. Depending on the product, they enable the formulation of dispersion silicate paints, silicone resin emulsion paints and synthetic resin plasters as well as plasticizer-free interior and exterior paints without the addition of solvents. In coatings, special grades ensure high wet-scrub resistance and resistance to dirt pick-up and water. Further, specific VINNAPAS® dispersions are manufactured without the use of alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEO) or formaldehyde and enable the formulation of high-performing coatings with a low (<5g/l) or even very low (<2g/l) content of volatile organic compounds (VOC).
WACKER is thus helping considerably to ensure and expand the availability of high-quality coating products in India. Moreover, WACKER’s local experts are helping to formulate quality standards as well as to introduce economical and more environmentally friendly technologies in India.
WACKER in India
WACKER has been supplying chemical products to India since the 1970s. In 1998, the Wacker Metroark Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. joint venture was established in Kolkata. Production of a wide variety of silicones began as early as 1999. The local subsidiary, Wacker Chemie India Pvt. Ltd., was founded in 2007 in response to increasing market demands and market potential. In November 2009, WACKER opened a new office building and a technical center for silicone and polymer applications in Mumbai.
Ever since, this technical center has been helping customers in the construction, paints, coatings, plastics, and textiles industries to develop new products and applications for the Indian market while also assisting with comparative lab testing in consideration of location-specific raw materials, climatic conditions, and regional requirements. Bundling a sales and technical center under one roof enables closer teamwork between the sales and development teams, resulting in optimal customer support.