News on Wacker

News on suppliers, market trends and technology innovations in polysilicon and wafer production is selected, assessed and written for you by Bernreuter Research.

Arabinda Ghosh (left), designated Chairman and CEO of Hemlock Semiconductor, and Ken Collins, site leader of Wacker Chemical Corporation’s polysilicon and pyrogenic silica plants in Charleston, Tennessee

New leadership at U.S. polysilicon makers Wacker and Hemlock

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Ken Collins is new site leader of Wacker’s polysilicon plant in Charleston, Tennessee while Arabinda Ghosh will follow Mark Bassett as CEO of competitor Hemlock Semiconductor at year’s end.

Polysilicon EBITDA margins of Daqo, OCI, Wacker and REC Silicon from Q2 2020 through Q2 2021

Price rally drives polysilicon EBITDA margins beyond 40%

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While non-Chinese polysilicon manufacturers OCI and Wacker enjoy high margins, Xinjiang-based Daqo New Energy has already announced the next major expansion to 270,000 tons in China by the end of 2024.

A couple recruited through a labor transfer program is sitting in a bunk room at a facility of Hoshine Silicon Industry Co., Ltd.

What the U.S. ban on Hoshine Silicon means for the PV industry

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The Withhold Release Order of the U.S. customs against Xinjiang-based silicon metal producer Hoshine puts pressure on polysilicon manufacturers as most of them are sourcing from Hoshine.

Workers manually crush silicon metal in the Jingang Circular Economy Industrial Park in Yili (also known as Ili) prefecture, Xinjiang, China

New report reveals the PV industry’s deep ties to forced labor

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A new research report from the Sheffield Hallam University in England uncovers so far unknown details about silicon metal, polysilicon and wafer manufacturers using forced labor in Xinjiang.

Polysilicon EBITDA margins of Daqo, OCI, Wacker and REC Silicon from Q4 2019 through Q4 2020

Price hike gives non-Chinese polysilicon producers a breather

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The strong rise of polysilicon prices since mid-2020 has led the results of non-Chinese manufacturers Wacker and OCI back into positive territory. EBITDA in the second half improved significantly.

The ten most popular posts from Bernreuter Research on LinkedIn in 2020

The top 10 posts from Bernreuter Research on LinkedIn in 2020

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“Bad news is good news” – this saying was true for the ten most popular posts from Bernreuter Research on LinkedIn in 2020. Number 1, 3 and 6 in our top ten list dealt with accidents in the polysilicon industry.

Wacker’s U.S. polysilicon plant in Charleston, Tennessee

Wacker’s chronic problem with contractors leads to one fatality

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One of five contract workers has died after a mixture of steam and hydrochloric acid escaped during a maintenance operation at Wacker’s U.S. polysilicon plant in Charleston, Tennessee.

Wacker’s U.S. polysilicon plant in Charleston, Tennessee

New incident at Wacker’s U.S. polysilicon plant: workers injured

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The series of incidents at Wacker’s U.S. polysilicon plant in Charleston, Tennessee does not stop: Four contract workers suffered chemical burns when they performed maintenance work on July 24.

Wacker’s integrated chemical factory in Burghausen, Bavaria

Covid-19 impact hits polysilicon manufacturers Wacker and OCI

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Strongly reduced demand for solar-grade polysilicon due to the Covid-19 pandemic and lower prices have left their mark in the financial figures of Wacker and OCI for the second quarter.

Sales, EBITDA and Capex of Wacker’s polysilicon division in Q1 2020 versus Q4 2019 and Q1 2019

Wacker starts short-time work at its German polysilicon plants

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In response to slumping demand for solar-grade polysilicon in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, chemicals group Wacker has reduced the utilization rate of its German polysilicon plants to 70%.