Wacker Chemie AG and Dow Corning Corporation started the constrction of the second phase of their pyrogenic silica plant in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province, China. The pyrogenic silica plant, together with a siloxane plant, is a key facility of an integrated silicone manufacturing site developed by both companies at Jiangsu Yangtze River Chemical Industrial park in Zhangjiagang to produce materials used extensively in industries including construction, beauty and personal care, power and automotives. Covering an area of one million square meters, the site is China's largest facility of this kind an d among the world's largest and most advanced integrated productioin complexes for silicones. the overall nameplate capacity for both siloxane and pyrogenic silica, including the second phase silica plant, is expected to be approximately 210,000 metric tons per year.