The company traces its origins back to 1940, when General Electric research chemist Eugene G. Rochow,[12] who first described the direct process for synthesizing silicone compounds. This breakthrough laid the foundation for commercial silicones, which over decades became used in myriad applications, from consumer goods through aerospace.
Momentive originated from General Electric’s silicones and advanced materials division, including associated joint ventures such as Bayer and Toshiba, which were active in the silicones and silanes sectors. [13][14][15]General Electric established a large silicone production facility at Waterford, NY in 1947.[16]At its peak in the 1960s and 1970s, the plant employed over 1,000 people and produced a range of silicone compounds for use in building materials, automotive components, aerospace applications, and cosmetics.[17] In 2006, GE sold the facility to Apollo Global Management, after which it was renamed Momentive Performance Materials Inc. The site continues to operate as a significant silicone manufacturing center.[18][19][20] After bankruptcy in 2014,[21] and a stock offering in 2017, the company is owned by a group of South Korean investors.[22][4]
In November 2012, Momentive Performance Materials Inc. launched its Global Research and Development Center and regional business headquarters for India, Middle East, and Africa (IMEA) in Bangalore, India. The facility’s researchscientists focus on developing new global technology platforms and products for both new and existing applications across a variety of industries, including personal care, energy, healthcare, electronics, automotive, and construction. Additionally, serving as Momentive’s regional headquarters, the site accommodates its commercial, business support, business process, and information technology operations. [23][24][25]
In April 2013, Momentive Performance Materials Inc. expanded its Technology Center in Seoul, South Korea establishing a global innovation hub dedicated to the electronics sector. The upgraded Korea Technology Center (KTC), located in the Gasan Digital Complex and spanning over 1,500 m², integrates application development, R&D, testing, and manufacturing functions. Focused on advanced materials for display, LED, and OLED applications, the center strengthens company's regional presence and global innovation capabilities. [26][27]
In February 2016, Momentive Performance Materials undertook a strategic expansion of its Leverkusen, Germany facility as part of its global initiative to enhance production capabilities for the automotive market. The company invested approximately $30 million to increase its silane manufacturing capacity at the site. [28][29][30]
In April 2017, Momentive Performance Materials Inc. inaugurated a 20,000 sq ft research and developmentlaboratory in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company invested approximately $3.5 million in this state-of-the-art facility, which focuses on testing and developing advanced compounds for leading tire manufacturers worldwide. Staffed by some of the industry’s top tire researchers, the lab serves as a global hub for the discovery and development of new materials. [31][32][33][34]
In 2020, Momentive Performance Materials undertook a strategic realignment, investing $15 million to expand production of advanced electronic materials. During the same period, the company sold its consumer sealants business to Henkel and initiated a transition at its Waterford facility from manufacturing basic commodity chemicals to focusing on specialized applications, including advanced electronic materials.[35][36]
In November 2020, the company announced an investment of $13 million to expand its existing plant in Termoli, Italy. The expansion aims to establish a state-of-the-art manufacturing hub for Momentive’s polyurethane additives. The Termoli site, which produces high-performance additives for bedding, furniture, automotive, insulation, rigid foam applications as well as other silicone-based products, will undergo a comprehensive technology upgrade to broaden its capabilities, including serving the European slabstock foam industry.[37][38]
In 2021, the company was assessed over $2 million in penalties by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as a result of air, water and hazardous waste law violations that had occurred at their Waterford facility since 2007.[39]
In April 2024, it was announced that Korean-based KCC Corporation would fully acquire Momentive Performance Materials Group.[40] The acquisition was completed in May 2024.[5]
In October 2024, company opened a European Application Development Centre for Beauty and Personal Care in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. The 300-square-metre facility includes the Haircare Centre of Excellence and the regional Application Development Team.The Haircare Centre of Excellence conducts performance testing to support the development of new raw materials for use in shampoos, Hair conditioner,conditioners, and leave-on cosmetics products. The facility is equipped with advanced laboratories and testing equipment, enabling evaluation of product attributes such as combability, heat protection, frizz reduction, and shine.[41][42][43][44]
In February 2025, Momentive and Jiangxi Hungpai Material Co., Ltd. , a silicon-based research and manufacturing leader in China announced the signing of a definitive agreement to establish a joint venture focused on the manufacturing, promotion, and sale of silanes in Asia.[45]
Products and Technologies
Momentive's products include silicones used in several markets.,[1] as well as quartz and ceramic materials. The company also produces raw materials such as siloxane polymers and various additives, including silanes, specialty fluids, and urethane additives.[46]
Momentive Inc. maintains a broad and diversified product portfolio grounded in siliconechemistry. Its high-performance silicones division offers a wide array of elastomers, fluids, and resins used in industries such as healthcare, electronics, automotive, energy, and construction. For example, its Silopren™ and Silplus™ lines of liquid silicone rubber (LSR) and high consistency rubber (HCR) deliver excellent thermal stability, low volatility, and durable mechanical properties. These elastomers are widely used in demanding applications like power modules, medical devices, and high-voltage insulation. [47] Momentive also provides silicone materials tailored for electronics: its RTV (room-temperature vulcanizing) silicones are used to encapsulate components, bond substrates, and protect circuitries from moisture, heat, and vibration. [48]
In addition to silicones, Momentive produces siloxanes and silanes, key intermediate chemistries that support numerous industrial applications. Siloxanes (linear or cyclic silicone polymers) are used as building blocks for many of Momentive’s formulated products and as performance fluids. Momentive’s silane portfolio, marketed under trademarks such as Silquest, CoatOSil, NXT, and XL-PEarl, serves as coupling agents, crosslinkers, and surface modifiers to improve adhesion between organic and inorganic materials. [49]. Their silanes help enhance filler dispersion, reduce viscosity, and improve durability in applications ranging from coatings and sealants to high-performance plastics.[50] Momentive has also expanded its global silane manufacturing capacity (e.g., sites in Sistersville, West Virginia and Termoli, Italy) to meet rising demand.
Momentive’s specialty chemicals and additives business also includes a broad range of functional modifiers. This includes stabilizers, crosslinkers, adhesion promoters, and urethane additives. Through its formulation expertise, Momentive develops tailored additive systems for customers in sectors such as automotive, construction, and high-performance plastics. [52]
On the inorganic materials front, Momentive Technologies produces advanced ceramics and high-purity fused quartz, serving highly specialized markets such as semiconductors, photovoltaics, telecommunications, and optics. Its ceramic offerings include coatings, powders, heater modules, and high thermal-conductivity graphite products, all engineered for maximum chemical and thermal stability. [53] For fused quartz, the company manufactures ultra-pure rods, tubes, solids, ingots, and crucibles tailored to the exacting purity and dimensional demands of wafer growth, optics, and high-temperature processing. [54]
By leveraging its core expertise in siliconechemistry and advanced materials, Momentive provides a technology-driven platform that supports innovation across multiple industries — from high-performance sealants and automotive components to semiconductor-grade ceramics and quartz. [55]
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