Silicone – the Gold of the Future

Five Questions for Our Silicone Expert

For nine years now, Sebastian Stolle has been ensuring that we are at the cutting edge of the future market for silicone rubber compounds.

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Question 1

Sebastian, what exactly do you do at Continental?

My job is to market our portfolio of silicone compounds. In my role as Key Account Manager, I, along with my team, have continuously expanded Continental’s silicone business over the past nine years. Before that, I spent five years working in compound development at Continental’s Waltershausen location, developing silicone formulations for our customers. The two mixers that we use to produce silicone for Continental and the external market are located in Waltershausen. I have now been with the Continental Group for almost 20 years. I joined Continental in 2003 to complete my dual cooperative study program and then train as a process technician. A wonderful time and an exciting market.

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Question 2

What excites you about your job?

It’s just the perfect mix! I find silicone an absolutely fascinating material because of its unique properties and range of possible uses. Our customers, the business area as a whole and market developments are just as diverse. In addition, I get to work with an experienced team that deals with this future market with enormous commitment.

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Question 3

What is it about silicones that fascinates you?

First of all, the fact that this material is just basically sand. The so-called methyl vinyl silicone rubber that we use in our compounds is produced through synthesis. Moreover, silicone is unique in its properties. It is extremely resistant to both very high and very low temperatures. This resistance to extreme temperatures and aging makes silicones ideal for special applications.

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Question 4

What products are made from silicones today, and what uses to you envisage for the future?

Silicones are used in many applications. Among other things, they can be found in charge-air hoses for routing very hot gases, electrical insulation in the high-voltage range, and a wide variety of applications in extrusion-based part construction. Vehicle electrification relies on silicone cables, as does the food industry, which uses silicones in molded and injection-molded parts. No other type of rubber is approved for the food sector. We are currently looking for further areas of application with a focus on renewable energies.

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Question 5

How do you rate the prospects for the silicone business?

Given the large number of applications today and the enormous potential, the silicone market is clearly a market of the future. In future, the material will be able to offer other properties, such as electrical conductivity for industrial equipment in the packaging sector. As a result of raw material restrictions, we can open up new additional areas of application for silicones. Continental has been producing silicone compounds since 2008; it has two modern silicone mixers at its Waltershausen site as well as many years of research, development and laboratory expertise in this material. All in all, our customers get the best overall package of consulting, development and product quality from us – all from a single source.

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