Dow Corning Corp's vice-president Jean-Marc Gilson predicted China would be a net exporter of siloxane by 2011, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. Equally owned by chemical titan Dow Chemical Co and glass giant Corning Inc, Dow Corning Corp is a leading player in the world’s siloxane industry. Siloxane is used in almost every industry including automotive, electronics, construction, and textiles. “For the time being, China is a net importer of siloxane,” said Gilson. “But in the future, almost no plants will be set up anywhere except for China.” The US-based company has teamed up with German partner Wacker Chemie to build a siloxane plant with an annual capacity of 200,000 tons in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province. It is scheduled to be completed in 2010. Global demand for siloxane products is expanding at a pace of 6% to 8% annually, particularly in China, where the rate can be up to 20% to 30%, according to Gilson. This could be driven by rising demand for solar energy as China addresses environmental problem. He also said China will supply siloxane to other emerging markets like India, Eastern Europe, and South America. Dow Corning produces more than 7,000 silicone-based products such as adhesives, insulating materials, and lubricants for aerospace, automotive, and electrical uses and sells more than half of its products outside the US.