BOSTON—Cabot Corp. has completed an expansion at its fumed silica facility in Barry, Wales, increasing its production capacity at the plant by 25 percent.
The project is part of a three-year plan begun in 2011 that is expected to increase Cabot's global fumed metal oxide capacity by 35 to 40 percent, according to the company. The increased production capacity will service demand in the global silicones market, which the firm expects to grow 6 to 9 percent during the next decade.
The expansion includes an extension of Cabot's relationship with Dow Corning Corp. The companies have collaborated in Barry since 1991, when Cabot built its fumed silica facility adjacent to Dow Corning's silicone monomer plant. Dow Corning provides Cabot with silanes that are converted to fumed silica for Dow's compounded silicones applications, as well as for other customers and applications including electronics, adhesives and composites.
Fumed silica is an ultra-fine, high-purity particle used as a reinforcing, thickening, abrasive, thixotropic, suspending or anti-caking agent and is used in applications in the automotive, construction, microelectronics and consumer products industries.
Cabot has six fumed silica manufacturing facilities globally, including two in the U.S., two in Europe and two in Germany.