Wacker Chemicals Norway AS, Holla, has been an integral part of the production line in Wacker Silicones since the 1st of July 2010, when the plant was purchased from Fesil AS. The plant has approximately 180 employees and is located in Kyrksæterøra, Trøndelag, Mid-Norway . The first two furnaces were put into production in 1964, and we now have round-the-clock production on four furnaces, producing approximately 50 000 tons of silicon and 25 000 tons of silica annually.

We expect that the SFI activities will bring new knowledge, which can be applied directly to our smelting furnaces and which will help to improve productivity and performance. We also expect that the activities will help us to make a safer and more environmentally friendly process. Wacker Norway has a focus on development of employees' knowledge and skills as part of the strategy to become one of the leading silicon producers in the world. As such, the SFI Metal Production allows for synergies and activities of the utmost importance for the company.

The expertise Wacker Chemicals Norway AS brings to the SFI includes: (i) knowledge about silicon production, with all its challenges, from operator to R&D level, (ii) CFD (Computational fluid Dynamics) skills and (iii) knowledge of environmental challenges for the silicon production.

The contribution to the centre will consist of scientific personnel participating in project work, raw materials supply and the company's own smelting shop facilities (industry furnaces) which will be available for industrial test campaigns managed by the SFI Centre. Specific activities include excavation of two furnaces.
 

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