Industrial developer Panattoni and chemical company WACKER in cooperation with investment group Accolade have inaugurated the construction of the new industrial complex Panattoni Park Karlovy Vary. The new park, with a built-up area of over 23,000 sqm, has begun construction on the northeastern outskirts of Karlovy Vary, with completion scheduled for spring 2025. The tenant will be WACKER, a silicone compounding company. The new production plant will also include laboratories and testing facilities. The new building aspires to one of the highest ratings in the international sustainability certification BREEAM New Construction, at Excellent.
This is the second plant in the Czech Republic for the German company WACKER, which has been operating in Pilsen since 2008. The group focuses on the production of state-of-the-art specialty products for use in a range of fast-growing markets, including photovoltaics, electronics, automotive, construction, electrical engineering, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals and household and personal care products. The plan is for WACKER to create up to 200 jobs in the first phase of the project in a new manufacturing, research and development facility.
“Karlovy Vary will become a new and important pillar of our activities in Europe and will strengthen our position as a leading manufacturer of silicone products. With today’s groundbreaking ceremony, we have reached our first milestone,” said WACKER board member Christian Kirsten. “Our silicone rubber is in demand in all key markets. The main drivers are megatrends such as electromobility, renewable energies and the expansion of energy grids. To be able to meet this demand in the long term, we need to lay the foundations for our future growth now. In Carlsbad, we are now opening a new chapter in the success story of our silicones.”
In Carlsbad, WACKER will specifically be processing silicone compounds for further processing into final products such as insulating elements for electric vehicle batteries, sealing elements for electronic components as well as silicones for medical and healthcare applications. By processing compounds for the production of final components in all of the above areas, the company will actively contribute to the Net Zero Industry Act of the European Union’s Green Deal for Europe industrial plan.
“I am delighted that WACKER will be the first tenant to occupy the new Panattoni Park Karlovy Vary, which brings value-added manufacturing, research and 200 jobs for mostly skilled employees. The whole project proves that the Karlovy Vary Region has a huge potential to attract really top investors,” says Pavel Sovička, Panattoni’s General Manager for the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
“The Karlovy Vary Region was one of the locations where we started investing in the construction of industrial complexes. Gradually, we became the largest investor there, but this park in Karlovy Vary is our first venture. I am pleased that after years of negotiations and preparations in close cooperation at the level of the city and the region, the project is now entering the implementation phase. I believe that WACKER with its sophisticated production will give a big economic boost to the whole region,” said Jiří Stránský, Head of Development at Accolade Group.
The project also stands out for its excellent transport connections. It is located close to the D6 motorway at exit 125 and the European E442, which provides fast connections to Germany and Slovakia. Thanks to this, it takes only 70 minutes to get from the new hall to Pilsen and 90 minutes to Prague. The proximity of the main railway station Karlovy Vary, just two kilometres away, and the strategic location to the neighbouring towns of Sokolov and Cheb are other key benefits.
“Karlovy Vary is open to new business opportunities. We appreciate the start of construction of the new industrial park Panattoni Park Karlovy Vary with the tenant WACKER, which will bring not only production, but also research and a number of qualified jobs, and we look forward to the completion of the project as early as 2025,” adds Andrea Pfeffer Ferklová (ANO), Mayor of Karlovy Vary.
Employees will also be able to get to the site using public transport, as the bus stop is within a short walking distance.
The building will be equipped with modern technologies that reduce energy consumption and ensure a high level of environmental friendliness. These include, for example, heat pumps, photovoltaics, heat recovery and the environmentally friendly treatment of rainwater.
