Cabot Corp. and joint venture partner Inner Mongolia Hengyecheng Silicone Co. Ltd (HYC) broke ground June 7 on a new fumed silica manufacturing facility in Wuhai.
The $60 million project is scheduled to be completed in 2019, according t o Cabot, which holds an 80 percent stake in the venture.
The 8,000 metric tons per year facility will use the U.S. partner's fumed silica production technology, while HYC will provide feedstock. Cabot said its process offer advanced levels of energy efficiency and recycling of by-product streams.
Fumed silica is used as an additive in silicone elastomers, composites, adhesives, coatings, energy storage and consumer goods.
The new facility "will allow us to better serve our customers in parts of China where we expect to see significant growth and development in the coming years," Nick Cross, executive vice president and president, performance chemicals, at Cabot, said in a statement.
Cross added that the unit would help Cabot keep pace with growing global demand and reinforce its "responsible care" manufacturing effort.
In China, Cabot operates manufacturing sites in Shanghai, Xingtai, Jiangxi and Tianjin.
