top message
Top Message
Wacker AsahiKasei Silicone is a silicone company in Japan.
You have likely had multiple physical encounters with WACKER today. In the bathroom, it is our silicone which seals the joints. The shiny softness of your hair may be due to the silicone in your shampoo. And even your soft, absorbent towels likely contain silicone. If you drive a car today, your touchscreen and cables probably use our silicone.
Our products play a role in every aspect of life. Because they help us live our lives. They can be used for almost everything: from the most mundane tasks to the major shifts taking place today, such as digitization, electromobility, and wellness. Our products add value for current and future generations. That is what drives us. That is our purpose.
“Our solutions make a better world for generations."
We work toward this goal every day.
Wacker Chemicals East Asia, the predecessor of Wacker AsahiKasei Silicone, was founded in 1983 to establish a foothold in Japan.
"In the Region for the Region."
Being close to our customers is the motto of the entire Wacker Group. We are close to our Japanese customers, providing them with the best products and the information they need, together with first-class service and innovation.
In 1999, we partnered with the leading integrated chemical company AsahiKasei to establish Wacker AshahiKasei Silicone. Our relationship may have begun with their interest in the possibilities of silicone as a material. But, for Wacker, AsahiKasei offered a very attractive way to penetrate the Japanese market. Our joint venture is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024. Even today, our employees are learning every day to expand our business in Japan by sharing information and other activities across the various sections of the company. Although we are from different countries, our attitude toward innovative product development and our working styles are somewhat similar. We have always had a culture of addressing each other with "san" instead of using titles. I am also called Widmar-san. We always keep our doors open, we listen to what our employees’ voices, and we try to keep an open mind.
Sustainable Growth
I arrived in Japan in June 2022, just as the Covid pandemic showed signs of easing and I was appointed Managing Director in September. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, there was a lot of uncertainty, as immigration procedures did not restart until just before I arrived. In Germany, we were allowed to take off our masks but, in Japan, we were encouraged to work from home and to wear masks. This meant we could hardly see our employees' faces and that made it very difficult for us to communicate with them.
During this time, the chemical industry experienced a demand slump and soaring energy prices. That plunged chemical manufacturers into a very difficult situation. However, the megatrends of the future – from electromobility and energy conversion to digitization and wellness – will continue to drive our business. The WACKER Group and Wacker AsahiKasei Silicone have defined clear strategies and set ambitious targets for 2030.
Sustainability
Our sustainability efforts within the Wacker Group are focused on two aspects.
The first is to reduce CO2 emissions by improving our products and manufacturing processes. Our goal is to halve our absolute CO2 emissions by 2030, compared to 2020. We hope to achieve net zero by 2045 at the latest. We have received external validation that we are a climate-neutral company from the Science-Based Initiative (SBTi). This independent body verified our attainment of the net-zero goal on the basis of scientific findings earlier this year. Our greenhouse gas reduction pathway will thus help limit global warming by 1.5 °C. This shows that we are aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Globally, not many chemical companies have achieved this validation so far.
The second is to provide products that are effective and support our customers' sustainability activities. For example, silicone is used not only in wind turbines, but also in insulators and power cables. In other words, we support the efficient generation of green power and ensure that this power gets from A to B. Some of you may already have electric vehicles. Our high-tech silicone ensures that their batteries work reliably.
Diversity
By 2030, one in three management positions will be held by women and half of these positions will be global. At AWS, we are committed to enhancing our global presence by facilitating the exchange of human resources among our Group companies. We will also double the percentage of women in management roles, compared to the enrollment ratio in 2023. We firmly believe that diversity makes us stronger, more creative, and innovative, and ultimately more effective and successful.
Safety
Safety is ingrained in our DNA and a fundamental precondition for our work. All employees at the Tsukuba Plant take a strong interest in and are committed to occupational health and safety. New hires receive training when they join the company, and we hold an annual Safety Day to raise employee awareness and remind them of the various aspects of environment, health, and safety. Our goal is for every employee to arrive at work safely, to stay safe throughout the day and to return home without incident.
Investment
While Wacker's roots lie in Germany, we have evolved into a global company.
The key factor in our success is that we use efficient and interconnected material loops – from raw materials to finished products. And the reason why WACKER is continuously investing in its global network is that Asia has become a key market for us. At our Tsukuba site, we are building a production facility for silicone-based thermal interface materials (TIMs). This investment is geared toward the growth of Japan's electric vehicle industry.
The Tsukuba Plant now boasts over 100 employees. We are strengthening our facilities and human resources to ensure that we meet our 2030 growth targets.
We will realize our potential. We will continue to work on solutions for a sustainable future through expertise, customer collaboration, and innovative strength.
We are excited to embark on this journey with you, our valued customers and business partners.
