MUNICH, Germany/DUBAI – WACKER, the Munich-based chemical company, has expanded the service portfolio at its technical center in Dubai. The center of excellence located at the Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) technology park now also includes a dedicated laboratory for interior and exterior coatings applications. The new lab comprises applications technology and test equipment for polymer dispersions needed as binders for interior architectural paints. A further focus is on silicone additives and binders for interior and exterior coatings. The expansion allows WACKER to help its local customers develop new and tailor-made products for the coatings market. It also encourages the exchange of know-how and promotes internationally recognized quality standards in the region.

The region’s strong economic growth, particularly with regard to sophisticated coating applications, promoted the need for the expansion. This measure will help WACKER to further bolster its position as a leading producer for vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer (VAE) dispersions and silicone additives and binders.

The company continues to invest in its Dubai technical center to augment and refine its expertise in research and development, as well as its local applications technology and customer service. The extended technical center will support customers in the coatings sector in developing new products and applications for regional markets using locally available raw materials and taking into consideration environmental conditions. In addition, the technical center has extended its range of silicone additives and binders for coatings applications.

WACKER set up a local subsidiary (Wacker Chemicals Middle East) in Dubai in 2000 and has been operating its own sales office there since then. A technical center has been available to regional customers and partners since 2002. In 2009, WACKER moved to the Dubai Silicon Oasis technology park.

The new location houses technical labs as well as the offices of WACKER’s subsidiary for the Middle East sales region.