Evonik Expands South Carolina Plant, Capacity Soars by 50%!

On October 1, Evonik announced the launch of a major expansion project in Charleston, South Carolina, aimed at increasing production capacity for precipitated silica. The investment will increase the plant's production capacity by 50 percent in response to the growing demand for green tires in the tire industry, especially in the US market.

As Germany's leading chemical group, Evonik emphasizes that it has been planning and preparing for long-term investments in North America and regards North America as its key growth market. The group further noted that the investment was driven by a combination of a strong customer base, market traction, positive engineering updates and the firm support of on-site partners and local authorities.

With this expansion, Evonik expects the Charleston facility to develop into a core hub for sustainable silica products in North America. Lauren Kjeldsen, head of the Smart Materials division at Evonik, said that this development is of great significance for the strategic layout of the silica business and the entire group.

Although Evonik did not specify the size of the investment, according to the South Carolina Department of Commerce, its Berkeley County Economic Development Department has provided the group with a grant of $500,000 (about 3.5088 million yuan) to support the payment of its project costs.

In addition, South Carolina authorities expect the project to attract at least $120 million in new capital investment and create more than 50 new jobs. This expansion will not only strengthen the local supply chain of the tire industry, but also introduce recycled raw materials for the production of Ultrasil silica, further promoting green manufacturing and sustainable development.

It is worth noting that the Charleston plant has been engaged in precipitated silica production since 2018 and is an important link in Evonik's global network of 18 precipitated silica production sites. This expansion marks the further expansion and deepening of Evonik's business in North America.