MOSCOW (MRC) -- With immediate effect, or as existing contracts permit, BASF SE will increase its European selling prices for a number of petrochemical products, said the producer on its site.
Thus, March prices of the following products will be raised, as stated below:
- 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) - by EUR200/mt;
- tetrahydrofuran (THF) - by EUR150/mt;
- polytetramethylene ether glycol (PolyTHF) - by EUR260/mt;
- N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) - by EUR150/mt;
- gamma butyrolactone (GBL) - by EUR150/mt;
- N-ethylpyrrolidone (NEP) - EUR150/mt.
BDO and its derivatives are used for producing engineering plastics, polyurethanes, solvents and elastic spandex fibers. PolyTHF is a registered trade mark of BASF Group in many countries.
As MRC informed before, in June 2016, BASF increased the prices of the following polyalcohols in Europe: neopentylglycol, trimethylolpropane and 1,6-Hexanediol, as follows:
- Neopentylglycol (NPG) - by EUR80/mt;
- Trimethylolpropane (TMP) - by EUR80/mt;
- 1,6-Hexanediol (HDO) - by EUR100/mt.
Neopentylglycol (NPG) is a high-quality intermediate used, for example, to produce polyester resins for coatings, unsaturated polyester resins, lubricants and plasticizers.
Trimethylolpropane (TMP) is a high-quality intermediate that is used primarily for the production of alkyd resins, which are used in paints and coatings. It also serves to produce lubricants.
1,6-Hexanediol (HDO) is used to manufacture industrial coatings including lower volatile organic compound formulations, polyurethanes, adhesives, and cosmetics. HDO also serves as a reactive thinner in the formulation of epoxy systems, which are used for the efficient production of rotor blades for modern wind turbines, as well as construction components for automotive lightweight applications.
BASF is the largest diversified chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries. BASF generated sales of more than EUR70 billion in 2015.
MRC