MOSCOW (MRC) -- A new BASF production plant for the intermediate 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) at the Ludwigshafen Verbund site started regular operations in the fourth quarter of 2021, said the company.
After a trial run of several months, it replaces the previous plant at the Ludwigshafen site, which is being closed after more than 40 years of operation. The new plant is fully integrated into BASF's production Verbund and, with more than 10,000 metric tons of 2-ME per year, has the same production capacity as the previous plant. 2-ME has proven its value in the production of plastics, crop protection products, oilfield chemicals (Basocorr ME) and coatings.
"The new plant will enable us to supply our customers all over the world with 2-mercaptoethanol even more reliably. Our global logistics network, which our customers can further rely on, also contributes to this," says Frank Stein, head of the Regional Business Unit Europe in BASF's Intermediates division.
As MRC wrote before, BASF will build a battery recycling prototype plant in Schwarzheide, Germany, at the site of its cathode active materials (CAM) plant.
We also remind that n June, 2021, Trinseo, a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex binders, and synthetic rubber, and BASF announced the intention to expand their businesses with the production of styrene monomer (SM) based on circular feedstock. Trinseo has procured first supplies of SM based on circular feedstock from BASF for use in its Solution-Styrene Butadiene Rubber (S-SBR) and polystyrene (PS) products. Trinseo supplies S-SBR to major tyre manufacturers while its PS products are used in applications such as food packaging and appliances. The first few customers have already processed the material, said the company.
BASF is the leading chemical company. It 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.
MRC