MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF will build a new world scale production plant to manufacture specialty amines at its existing wholly-owned site in the Nanjing Chemical Industry Park in China, as per the company's press release.
The plant, which is scheduled to come on stream in late 2015, will have dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA) and polyetheramines (PEA) as the main products.
With this new facility BASF will further strengthen its global production network. The new plant complements existing facilities in Germany and the US for DMAPA and PEA.
"BASF is a leading supplier of DMAPA and PEA globally, and this investment reflects our continued commitment to meeting the growing market demand in Asia Pacific," said Sanjeev Gandhi, President of BASF’s Intermediates division.
"The investment is driven by the increasing consumption of personal care products by the growing middle class in China and in Asia," said Dr. Guido Voit, Senior Vice President, BASF Intermediates, Asia Pacific. "Additionally, the development in the construction, wind energy and coatings industries in China and other emerging countries in Asia will continue to drive demand for PEA."
DMAPA is mainly consumed in the production of betaines, which are used as co-surfactants in personal care products like shampoo and body wash. DMAPA is also used in various other applications including dye-stuff intermediates, lubricant additives, electroplating, coupling agents for rubber and others.
PEA is an intermediate chemical for epoxy curing agents used in the production of plastics, polyurea coatings, adhesives, reaction injection moulding and wind blade composites. BASF offers polyetheramines under its Baxxodur brand.
BASF has manufacturing capacities for both products at its sites in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and in Geismar, Louisiana.
As MRC informed earlier, in late January 2014, BASF and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) broke ground on the construction of its world-scale isononanol (INA) plant in Maoming Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, Maoming, China. At start-up in 2015, the plant, which is the first of its kind in China, will serve the increasing market demand for next-generation plasticizers. A newly-formed 50-50 joint venture company has been created, BASF MPCC Company Limited.
INA is used as the feedstock for the production of next generation plasticizers, including diisononyl phthalate (DINP) and non-phthalate plasticizer Hexamoll DINCH. DINP is widely used as a plasticizer in industrial applications such as automotive, wires, building and construction, while Hexamoll DINCH is BASF’s non-phthalate plasticizer for sensitive applications, including toys as well as food contact and medical applications.
The BASF Group’s Intermediates division develops, produces and markets a comprehensive portfolio of more than 700 intermediates around the world. Its most important product groups include amines, diols, polyalcohols, acids and specialties. Among other applications, intermediates are used as starting materials for coatings, plastics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, detergents and crop protectants. Around the globe the division generated sales to third parties of about EUR2.8 billion in 2013.
MRC