Wacker Metroark Chemicals, a JV between Metroark Pvt. Ltd. and Wacker Chemie AG, recently took the next step in its “India Shining” growth story: The groundbreaking ceremony officially launching the Panagarh expansion of the WMC plant.
The “Bhoomi Pujan” ceremony, as the groundbreaking ceremony is known in the native language, was held on 3rd February 2021 from 11:30 AM till 2:00 PM. Held onsite at the Panagarh Industrial Park, the ceremony was attended by Manfred Auster, Hon. Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kolkata. Other distinguished guests included Sabina Pandey, the Regional Director and Head (Legal Department) of the Indo German Chamber of Commerce, Kolkata, along with multiple WBIDC officials and various other close associates.
From WMC, the MDs Mr. Mukherjee and Dr. Buechel, were present along with the various Heads of Departments and a few key employees. The current COVID pandemic meant that the gathering was purposefully kept small.
As the Chief Guest and a symbol of German-Indian collaboration, much like WMC itself, Mr. Auster gave a short but inspiring speech, emphasizing the rapid growth of WMC and its role as an iconic JV for the Indo- German Chemical Industry. He stressed the importance of the Panagarh expansion, which is multiple times the size of the current WMC production unit and vital to the aggressive growth plans of WMC.
Ms. Pandey, who has been associated with WMC for a long time now, gave a short but succinct speech, expressing admiration at the company’s rapid growth, which is now the leading Silicone producer in India. She wished the WMC team all the best for their future plans.
The WMC Panagarh Site 2 expansion utilizes a “Sustainability First” approach, with measures taken to minimize the plant’s environmental impact on society and the surroundings. It will use water from the Damodar river, minimizing the groundwater draw. It will also use City Gas to power its boilers. This fuel, a natural gas mix, has drastically lower emissions of noxious gases and particulate matter as compared to diesel, the fuel it replaces. More efficient ETP’s and sourcing multiple production inputs from local vendors add to the plant’s minimal carbon footprint.
The site construction is already well underway. The Panagarh project represents a necessary next stage in WMC’s growth and reaffirms the JV’s commitment to its “Make in India” promise.