Silicones, a world of possibilities
Silicones enable, drive innovation, and reinvent Europe
Silicones Europe represents European silicone and silane producers. We aim to help you understand the key role that silicones play in almost every aspect of our lives.
What does Silicones Europe do?
Silicones have been shaping European industry for decades, playing a key
part in sectors such as energy, digital, transport or healthcare. Silicones keep our solar panels and wind turbines running, electric vehicles moving, and mobile phones connected.
€1 trillion
Silicone industry annual turnover
25,000 jobs
in the European market that the sector directly creates
3 million positions
along the supply chain that the sector creates
Silicones also enable Europe’s twin transition towards climate neutrality and digitalisation.
up to
96 414
kilotonnes
of equivalent CO2 savings
generated in 2030 with the use of silicone in various applications.
47 926
kilotonnes
of equivalent CO2 savings
generated in 2050.
Source: Decarbonisation study
What are silicones and where are they used?
Silicones are a group of high-performance materials that include silicone polymers, silanes and siloxanes.
While silicones are often used in small quantities, the benefits that they offer are significant.
This is for instance the case for semiconductors or solar panel cells. Their properties enable the technical viability and economic efficiency of many products and processes.
485,000 metric tonnes
of products containing silicones and silanes are sold in Europe every year
This goes – for example – towards the production of electric and hybrid vehicles that went from representing 5.9% of the European registered cars in 2018 to 37.5% of in 2020!
Key properties & applications of silicones
And just a few examples of where they can be used
News