Wacker, the Munich-based chemical group, has opened a new production site for silicones in Panagarh, India, located 160 kilometers northwest of Kolkata. The plant will manufacture silicone rubber and ready-to-use silicone compounds for electromobility, medical technology, and electrical transmission and distribution. A subsequent expansion stage is planned in the medium term for the production of silicone fluids and silicone emulsions.
The site is part of a growth strategy the company presented to investors and analysts at the end of March 2026, alongside a broader investment plan for its chemical divisions. Wacker said it will invest a mid-double-digit million Euro amount in Panagarh over the next few years to meet demand for silicones in India and to consolidate its position in the market. The first expansion phase is expected to create around 100 new jobs at the site.
Wacker and its Indian joint venture, Wacker Metroark Chemicals (WMC), have operated a production site for silicones near Kolkata since 1999. The new plant in Panagarh covers an area of 165,000 square meters – three times the size of the existing site in Amtala, where silicone fluids and emulsions will continue to be produced for the cosmetics and personal care industries.
“Panagarh offers excellent infrastructure and very good connections to the Indian railway and road networks. However, the main benefit of the site is its space. We will use this to significantly expand our production capacity in India and strengthen our market position on the Indian subcontinent,” said Auguste Willems, Wacker executive board member, at the opening ceremony. “This additional production capacity will double the amount of silicone we produce in India in the medium term.”
Wacker plans to expand production at the new site in stages. High-consistency and room-temperature-vulcanizing solid silicone rubbers, liquid silicone rubber, and SILMIX ready-to-use silicone compounds are currently manufactured in Panagarh, for use particularly in electromobility, medical technology, and electric transmission and distribution. In the next stage, the company plans to produce silicone fluids and emulsions for cosmetics, textile, and personal care applications. “This way we can supply our customers in India even better and more quickly with our specialty silicones,” Willems said, adding that the company will invest a double-digit million Euro amount in Panagarh over the next five years. “We will expand this site step by step and thus continue to strengthen our leading position as the largest silicone manufacturer in India.”
Soumitra Mukherjee, president and managing director of Wacker Metroark Chemicals, described the new site as an important milestone in the cooperation between the two companies. “The merging of Wacker and Metroark almost a quarter of a century ago laid the foundation for a successful partnership. The new Panagarh site will continue this Indo-German success story.”
Sustainability was a factor in the construction of the plant, according to the company, with measures taken to reduce environmental impact. River water for production will be supplied via pipelines to protect groundwater reserves, and WMC said it plans to use solar energy and renewable raw materials to generate energy and heat. As the site is located in a rice-growing area, husk from rice production can, for example, be used to generate energy.
Mukherjee said the plant will provide several hundred people with jobs and strengthen the local industry. “With the commissioning of Panagarh, we are also contributing toward the Indian government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative for promoting local production of high-quality industrial goods,” Mukherjee said.
Wacker Metroark Chemicals
Wacker has supplied chemical products to India since the 1970s. In 1998, the company and the Indian silicone producer Metroark formed Wacker Metroark Chemicals (WMC). Silicone production started at the Amtala site in 1999. The subsidiary maintains sales offices and logistics centers in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai, as well as a liaison office in Dhaka, Bangladesh. WMC supplies silicones for use in textile, personal care, automotive, construction, electric transmission and distribution, coatings, plastics, adhesives, and packaging applications. The company’s portfolio also includes sealants, silanes, and pyrogenic silica. WMC currently employs around 260 people in India.
Wacker Silicones
The Wacker Silicones business division is one of the largest silicone manufacturers worldwide, with a portfolio of over 2,800 products spanning silicone fluids, emulsions, resins, elastomers, and sealants, as well as silanes, silane-terminated polymers, and pyrogenic silica. The company said these products add value by enhancing the benefits and performance of customers’ end products. Applications include automotive engineering, construction, chemicals, cosmetics, medical technology, energy and electronics, and paper and textiles.
