Momentive Elastomers gaining ‘momentum’

We will strongly push growth in both product lines: Heat Cured Rubber will expand through numerous production and custom compounding sites in the world while we continue to extend our globally unique and leading position and technology in the area of Liquid Silicone Rubber. Momentive’s LSR technology has a clear leading edge.’



Robert Gnann, Global Marketing Director Momentive Performance Materials, responsible for Heat Cure (HCR) and Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR).



The silicones business is not new for Robert Gnann. He started his professional career in 1996 with GE Silicones in Waterford, USA, developing formulations that are designed for a continuous Heat Cured Rubber production process. The technology was successfully implemented at Momentive’s Lerverkusen site in Germany in 2002. ‘A very impressive operation that produces rubber with an outstanding quality in a very effective way,’ said Robert Gnann after he saw the rubber plant in Leverkusen for the first time in operation earlier this year. He had left the Silicones business in 2001 holding several management positions at Bayer and Lanxess in the area of synthetical rubber.



‘I am still surprised about the continuous innovative potential of silicone elastomers and I am very pleased that Momentive’s technology pipeline is nicely filled’, Robert Gnann continues.

Holger Albrecht, Global Marketing Manager Elastomers, Energy & Tech Center (on the left) and Robert Gnann (on the right), Global Marketing Director Heat Cure (HCR) and Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) Momentive Performance Materials, demonstrating the new technology platform: an ultra-clear silicone rubber.





‘We are focusing on a series of new technology platforms. Recently we have launched two new product platforms: an ultra-clear silicone rubber as well as a fully fluorinated LSR both representing remarkable breakthroughs. These products will help our customers and us to keep a competitive edge.’



Another breakthrough for Momentive’s technology was reported recently in the automotive sector: Momentive’s Silicone Rubber is the first to replace natural rubber in engine mounts. BMW is world wide the first OEM to use this technology in series acknowledging the rising temperatures for under hood applications in the automotive industry.



‘The silicone engine mount was a joint development with our customer in the automotive industry and it demonstrates how Momentive will grow in the future’. It is planned to expand and strengthen several application development centers around the globe with three main centers: Leverkusen,(Germany), Garret(USA) and Shanghai ( China).



‘The setup of the Application Development Center in Leverkusen is a really successful model that we will translate around the globe. Our people do help a lot to solve the customer’s challenges of new and existing applications. Meetings are held between the customers and our experts next to injection molding machines and new ideas can be tried out immediately. ‘It is a very creative environment,’ says Clemens Trumm, head of the ADC in Leverkusen, which is the center of Excellence for Elastomers including global Marketing, Technology and Production Leadership.



The former mother companies GE, Bayer and Toshiba have established different product lines and processes in each region. ’We will take the best products and best processes of all ‘worlds’ and establish them in the regions to our customer’s advantage. This cannot happen over night, but it will result in a big advantage for our customers’, so Robert Gnann.



And there is more future potential for Momentive. Silicone rubber consists to a high level of filler as reinforcing agent (fumed or precipitated silica). The filler quality and economy is another important factor for a successful Silicones Rubber business. ‘With Evonik we have the world leader of silica fillers as a partner. Our products contain up to 35% of silica filler and we have made little efforts to use the know-how of both companies to better understand filler/polymer interactions in the past. This also represents a great opportunity to better exploit joint interests in the business,’ so Robert Gnann.



’I am very excited to be back in Silicones with Momentive. We have great people around the world and I am very proud of my strong team. We have one goal: Momentive’s Elastomers business will strive to serve our customers needs around the globe!’





Momentive Performance Materials GmbH

Chempark Leverkusen

51368 Leverkusen

Germany

Central European Customer Service: cs-eur.silicones@momentive.com 

Toll free telephone: 0080043211000

Tel +31 (0) 164 225 350

Web www.momentive.com



About Momentive Performance Materials

Momentive Performance Materials Inc. is a premier specialty materials company, providing high-technology materials solutions to the silicones, quartz and ceramics markets. The company, as a global leader with worldwide operations, has a robust product portfolio, an enduring tradition of service excellence, and industry-leading research and development capabilities. Momentive Performance Materials Inc. is controlled by an affiliate of Apollo Management, L.P. Additional information is available at www.momentive.com.