MUNICH, Germany - Wacker Asahikasei Silicone, a Japanese joint venture of Wacker Chemie AG, opened a new development laboratory for airbag applications. The competence center will spearhead the development of silicone coatings for airbags and technical textiles in the region. Investment in the new laboratory amounts to roughly €1 million. Wacker Asahikasei Silicone (AWS) is jointly owned by WACKER and the Japanese chemical group Asahi Kasei Corporation each with a 50% stake.
The Airbag Competence Center of Excellence in Silicones (ACES) is located at the AWS technical center in Tsukuba, some 70 kilometers northeast of Tokyo. The center will support airbag manufacturers and their suppliers and has been equipped to develop novel high-performance silicone materials for coating airbags. Key material tests, such as coating, heat-resistance and fire-safety tests, can now be performed locally. “The airbag market is growing by six to seven percent annually,” noted Peter Summo, head of WACKER’s Engineering Silicones business unit, during the opening ceremony of the laboratory in Tsukuba. “Since every major airbag manufacturer produces in Asia, we decided to strengthen our expertise in this region. Now, we can develop new and innovative coating materials in Tsukuba. At ACES, we will be able to contribute to the development of innovative airbag technologies and make vehicles even safer in the future.”