Engineering Students of Sharjah University participate in specialized construction chemicals applications training

Dubai, November 29, 2010 - WACKER's Dubai based subsidiary, Wacker Chemicals Middle East FZE, today hosted a customized training related to construction chemicals for engineering students of the American University of Sharjah (AUS) College. The tailor-made seminar, which focused in applications relevant for civil engineers, was held at WACKER ACADEMY Dubai located at the company's regional headquarters at Dubai Silicon Oasis - the integrated free zone technology park. During the seminar, the students gained knowledge from the Academy's experts regarding innovative and energy-efficient building solutions. Wacker Chemicals Middle East is a leading supplier of polymers and silicones to the local construction, electronics and solar industry.

Speaking at the opening session of the seminar, Dr. Stefano Iannacone, Managing Director of Wacker Chemicals Middle East FZE, welcomed the delegates and students, and said that events such as these are important for WACKER ACADEMY Dubai as they offer an opportunity to meet and interact with future decision makers in the industry, as well as give participants a sense of the facilities available on site.

"The visit allowed our students to complement their university studies with real development and applications in the field which will make them ready to contribute to the development of new construction chemicals and enhance their innovative thinking," said Dr. Youssef Al Assaf, Dean of the College of Engineering (CEN) at American University of Sharjah (AUS). Dr. Adil K. Al-Tamimi,, Director, Institute of Material Systems at AUS, said that the event provided an excellent opportunity for engineering students as it gave them first-hand knowledge of the industry and its future trends. This is one of a series of fruitful scientific collaboration between AUS and Wacker that shows solid commitment for achieving quality work by Wacker linked with excellent education provided by the College of Engineering at the American University of Sharjah for the benefit of UAE community.

The one-day event covered four key construction applications: concrete repair mortars, sealing slurries, concrete impregnation, and silicone sealants. All supporting presentations, lab tours, samples and collaterals were also shared with the participants during the seminar. Over 30 students from the AUS College of Engineering attended the event, along with several university officials.

"This is the third in the series of seminars organized by the WACKER ACADEMY Dubai for the American University of Sharjah (AUS), since 2007. The aim of these seminars is to shed light on international building standards, and state of the art testing methods, and address the main aspects related to these complicated applications," said Dimitrios Moussious, Head of WACKER ACADEMY Dubai, & Business Development Manager of Construction Polymers, Wacker Chemicals Middle East FZE.

"This seminar represents an excellent opportunity to hear from experts about the latest developments in applications related to the construction industry and to get a detailed view of innovative construction chemicals practices in a leading company in this field," commented Mohammed Sanaobar, Head of Technical Centre, Wacker Chemicals Middle East FZE.

Located in University City, Sharjah, AUS offers 25 bachelor's degrees, 48 minors and 13 master's degrees through the College of Architecture, Art and Design, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering, and the School of Business and Management. All bachelor's degree programs in the AUS College of Engineering are accredited by the US-based Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

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About the WACKER ACADEMY
WACKER's ACADEMY concept dates back to early 2007, when the company opened its first training center for VINNAPAS® dispersions and dispersible polymer powders at its production site in Burghausen, Germany. The academy's success encouraged WACKER to broaden the centers' curriculum to include other areas of Group expertise. Today, the WACKER ACADEMY offers advanced courses and tutorials to employees, customers, universities, and partners on a broad range of topics, making it an ideal platform for sharing expertise, cultivating contacts and creating new networks. WACKER ACADEMY sites have already opened in Germany, China, Dubai, India, Russia, Singapore and in the United States.

The company in brief:
WACKER is a globally-active chemical company with some 15,600 employees and annual sales of around €3.7 billion (2009).
WACKER has 26 production sites and over 100 sales offices worldwide.

WACKER SILICONES
Silicone fluids, emulsions, rubber and resins; silanes; pyrogenic silicas; thermoplastic silicone elastomers

WACKER POLYMERS
Polyvinyl acetate and vinyl acetate copolymers in the form of dispersible polymer powders, dispersions and solid resins used as binders for construction chemicals, coatings, adhesives, paints, plasters and nonwovens

WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS
Biotech products, such as cyclodextrins, cysteine and biologics,  as well as fine chemicals and polyvinyl acetate solid resins

WACKER POLYSILICON
Polysilicon for the semiconductor and photovoltaics industries

Siltronic
Hyperpure silicon wafers and monocrystals for semiconductor devices

For further information, please contact:
Wacker Chemicals Middle East FZE
Communications & Events Manager
Aya Elamine
Tel. +971 4 7099944
Fax +971 4 7099911
aya.elamine@wacker.com

© Press Release 2010