BENGALURU, India — Munich-based chemical company WACKER is strengthening its presence in India by opening a technical center in Bengaluru. Located in the south of the country, it will serve as a regional competence center for tile-adhesive applications. Continuing growth in the Indian construction sector is driving demand for personally tailored solutions for tile adhesives. The new technical center enables WACKER to provide its customers in the local area with even better support in developing innovative solutions.

The technical center in Bengaluru specializes in the development of customized tile-adhesive applications. Adhesive strength and flexibility are vital for tile-adhesive formulations.

Although the global economy is slowing, growth in India is continuing to gain momentum, mainly due to the booming construction industry. A recent study forecasts that this South Asian country is set to become the world’s third-largest construction market by 2025. Some 11.5 million houses will be built there every year. Demand for construction products and applications catering to the Indian market is rising at a correspondingly fast rate, which is why WACKER is expanding its local presence in India.

 “The Bengaluru technical center is another important milestone in our growth strategy for India,” said Andreas Collignon, head of the business unit Construction Polymers at WACKER. He added that the objective was to meet the individual needs of customers locally – especially in South India – and to support and test new applications. “Our technical center sets new standards for service, consulting and knowledge transfer, enabling us to offer our customers and partners considerable added value,” explained Anand Gopaladesikan, who heads WACKER India, during the opening ceremony. “Our goal is to contribute to the accelerated development of the tile adhesives market in India.”

The technical center in Bengaluru specializes in the development of customized tile-adhesive applications. Adhesive strength and flexibility are vital for tile-adhesive formulations. WACKER’s polymeric binders improve how tiles adhere to the substrate, while permitting flexibility within the adhesive – an effective way of preventing cracks and breakage. WACKER markets its dispersible polymer powder formulations under various brands, such as VINNAPAS^®, VINNACEL^® and ETONIS^®. These powders make the adhesive highly water-resistant and extremely easy to process. Formulations containing WACKER’s polymer powders permit the use of special installation techniques, known as thin-bed technology. This makes significant savings possible in terms of raw materials, such as cement or sand, the latter being a key raw material in the construction sector. The global construction boom means that sand is becoming increasingly scarce.

The new technical center in Bengaluru is WACKER’s third such facility in India. A center for polymer applications was opened in Mumbai back in 2009. Located in the suburb of Goregaon, it houses Wacker Chemie India Pvt. Ltd. (a fully owned subsidiary) and Wacker Metroark Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. (a joint venture in which WACKER holds a 51% stake). Expanded in 2011, this technical center supports customers from sectors such as construction, paints and coatings, plastics, and textiles in developing new products and applications for the Indian market. WACKER also operates a technical center for silicone products in Kolkata.

Like its counterpart in Mumbai, the new technical center in Bengaluru adjoins a WACKER ACADEMY training center, the purpose of which is to intensify knowledge transfer in the local market. WACKER ACADEMY courses cater to the specific needs of India’s construction chemicals industry and give customers and business partners an opportunity to learn about all relevant aspects of tile-adhesive applications. Close proximity to the applications labs promotes a lively exchange of expertise and creates an optimal environment for customer service. WACKER ACADEMY provides an industry-specific platform for networking among customers, distribution partners and WACKER specialists.