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Sika opens its new, highly-modern production plant
Today Sika opens its new factory for Sikaflex® polyurethane adhesives
in Düdingen, Switzerland. More than CHF 100 million were invested in
this major project. Sika is establishing some 150 jobs on the 40,000
m² factory surface. This investment underscores Sika's trust in the
industry location Switzerland.
The production facility has a start-up capacity of 30'000 tons per
annum. In a second construction phase this capacity will be increased
to 60'000 tons per annum. "The entire European market can be served
with polyurethane adhesives from here," says Bruno Fritsche, member
of Sika Group Management and Head of the Industry Division.
Leap in Technology as Motor for Growth
The new factory works with a new, highly automated production
process. "The new technology will reduce production costs
considerably," Fritsche expects. "Technologically we've taken an
enormous step, which will open additional application fields for our
adhesives."
European automobile manufacturers are the most important customers
for the adhesives from Düdingen. In vehicle construction today, more
and more plastics and composite materials are being used to reduce
the weight of vehicles and so lower their energy consumption. Bonding
with steel, however, is only possible with adhesives. Bruno Fritsche
also sees great growth potential for polyurethane adhesives in the
fabrication of busses, commercial vehicles and railcars. Furthermore
there is substantial business in the construction sector, primarily
in the areas of window and façade construction.
The products will leave the factory gates in an environmentally
friendly manner via rail. The factory uses the railway siding from
SikaSarnafil Manufacturing AG, already located in Düdingen.
Additional railway sidings were laid during factory construction to
cope with the increased freight train traffic on the company grounds.
More than one thousand railcars per year will sustainably boost
freight traffic on the rails.
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Sika AG
Zugerstrasse 50
CH-6341 Baar, Switzerland
www.sika.com
Contact: Rainer Weihofen,
Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
Tel.: +41 41 768 68 00
Fax: +41 41 768 68 50
weihofen.rainer@ch.sika.com
Sika AG Corporate Profile
Sika AG, located in Baar, Switzerland, is a globally active company
supplying the specialty chemicals markets. It is a leader in
processing materials used in sealing, bonding, damping, reinforcing
and protecting load-bearing structures in construction (buildings and
infrastructure construction) and in industry (vehicle, building
component and equipment production).
Sika's product lines feature high-quality concrete admixtures,
specialty mortars, sealants and adhesives, damping and reinforcing
materials, structural strengthening systems, industrial flooring and
membranes. Subsidiaries in more than 70 countries worldwide and
approximately 11,700 employees link customers directly to Sika and
guarantee the success of all of its business relationships. With this
business structure Sika generates annual sales of CHF 4.6 billion.
Visit our website at www.sika.com.
The media release can be downloaded from the following link:
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Sika AG
Zugerstrasse 50 Baar
WKN: 858573; ISIN: CH0000587979;
Index: SMCI, SPI, SPIEX, SMIEXP, SMIM;
Listed: Main Market in SWX Swiss Exchange;
