Germination and laboratory breakthroughs: the foundation of silicone chemistry
The origin of the silicone industry can be traced back to laboratory research in the mid-19th century. In 1863, French chemists Friedel and Crafts first synthesized SiEt4, an organosilicon compound containing Si-C bonds, marking the birth of silicone chemistry. Since then, scientists such as Ladenburg and Boris have prepared a variety of silane compounds through different methods, laying the theoretical foundation for the silicone industry. In 1901, British chemist Kipping used the Grignard reaction to synthesize the first organosilicon polymer, polydiphenylsiloxane, and first proposed the concept of "silicone", which promoted the rapid development of silicone chemistry.

Industrialization and the rise of giants: technological breakthroughs and industrial expansion
From the late 1930s to the early 1940s, silicone materials gradually moved from laboratories to industrial production due to their excellent performance in temperature resistance and insulation. In 1940, the preparation of dimethyl silicone oil marked the entry of silicone into the practical stage. In 1943, Dow Chemical and Corning established a joint venture Dow Corning, becoming the world's first company dedicated to the research and development and production of silicones. In 1947, General Electric established the silicone department, which was later acquired by Apollo and reorganized into Momentive Advanced Materials Group. At the same time, Wacker of Germany built the first silane furnace in 1949 based on the technological breakthroughs of Dr. Siegfried Nitzsche's team, and gradually became the core of the European silicone industry.

Globalization and pattern reshaping: giant competition and regional integration
In the mid-to-late 20th century, the silicone industry entered a stage of global expansion. American Dow Corning, German Wacker, French Rhodia and other companies gradually formed a global industrial chain layout through technical cooperation and market expansion. From the 1950s to the 1960s, German Bayer, Japanese Shin-Etsu Chemical and other companies joined the competition, promoting the industry's technological iteration and capacity expansion. In 2016, Dow Chemical acquired Corning's shares in Dow Corning, and industry integration accelerated. The global market formed a pattern dominated by the four giants of Dow, Wacker, Momentive and Shin-Etsu. In 2024, the global silicone market size will continue to grow, and North American and European companies will continue to consolidate their leading position in the high-end market through technological innovation and capacity expansion.