BASF Commences Operation of Expanded Compounding Plant for Engineering Plastics

At a glance

BASF has opened an expanded compounding plant at its Schwarzheide site in Germany, increasing its capacity to produce Ultramid and Ultradur engineering plastics by up to 70,000 tonnes per year. The expansion is part of BASF's efforts to meet the growing global demand for engineering plastics, and will bring its worldwide compounding capacity for PA and PBT to over 700,000 tonnes per year. The increased capacity will allow BASF to meet the higher expectations of the automotive industry for high-volume components. The expansion also creates around 50 new jobs.

BASF put the expanded compounding plant at BASF’s Schwarzheide site in Germany into operation. With the expansion of the plant up to 70,000 tons more Ultramid® (PA: polyamide) and Ultradur® (PBT: polybutylene terephthalate) can be produced each year. This is a further step in the capacity expansions with which BASF is responding to the rising global demand for engineering plastics. BASF’s worldwide compounding capacity for PA and PBT will thus reach more than 700,000 tons per year. About 50 new jobs will be created.

“The bigger plant enables us to accompany our customers’ growth in the long run, at the highest technical level and with the best plastics,” says Jürgen Becky, since May 1st, 2017 head of BASF’s business unit Performance Materials Europe. “The expanded plant represents state of the art technology in the plastics market and gives us even more flexibility in our production process.” At the same time, the additional capacity increases flexibility in the global production network of BASF. Thus BASF can, for example, meet the higher expectations of the automotive industry when it comes to the production of high-volume components. With the expansion, Schwarzheide is the site with the biggest PA and PBT compounding capacity within BASF globally.

The engineering plastics Ultramid® and Ultradur® are used to make high-performance components for the automotive, electrical and electronics industries, as well as for the construction and furniture sectors. The components include oil pans, engine mounts, sensors and connectors, chairs and fastening elements. Latest innovations are the specialty Ultramid® Advanced N, the charge air duct made of the high-temperature polyamide Ultramid® Endure in the new Alfa Romeo Giulia and the TeamUP design chair for the office of the future.