BASF expands its capacity for specialty amines at its Verbund site in Ludwigshafen

BASF is significantly expanding its production capacity for about 20 specialty amines at its Verbund site in Ludwigshafen. The company will therefore invest a double-digit million euro amount in expanding current production facilities, which are planned to go on stream gradually by early 2017. The specialty amines are especially used for the manufacturing of coatings, lubricants, crop protection products and pharmaceuticals. With this investment, BASF strengthens its worldwide amine production network with plants in Ludwigshafen and Schwarzheide, Germany, in Antwerp, Belgium, in Geismar, Louisiana and in Nanjing, China.

“This investment will allow us to meet the growing demand that our European customers have for specialty amines,” said Stefan Blank, President, BASF Intermediates division. “We have decades of experience in the development and manufacturing of amines and hold a leading position globally with regard to these versatile intermediate products. Through the current expansion, we will strengthen this position.”

In March and April 2014, BASF announced the construction of two new multiple product plants for the manufacturing of specialty amines at the BASF Verbund sites in Ludwigshafen, Germany and Nanjing, China, where startup is planned for 2015.

With about 200 different amines, BASF has the world’s most diverse portfolio of this type of chemical intermediates. Along with alkyl-, alkanol-, alkoxyalkylamines, the company offers heterocyclic and aromatic as well as specialty amines. The range is completed by an expanding portfolio of chiral amines of high optical and chemical purity. The versatile products are used mainly to manufacture process chemicals, pharmaceuticals and crop protection products, as well as cosmetic products and detergents. They also serve to produce coatings, special plastics, composites and special fibers.

About BASF Intermediates

The BASF Group’s Intermediates division develops, produces and markets a comprehensive portfolio of about 700 intermediates around the world. Its most important product groups include amines, diols, polyalcohols, acids and specialties. Intermediates are for example used as starting materials for coatings, plastics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, detergents and crop protectants. Innovative intermediates from BASF help to improve both the properties of final products and the efficiency of production processes. The ISO 9001 certified Intermediates division operates plants at production sites in Europe, Asia and North America. Around the globe the division generated sales to third parties of about €2.8 billion in 2014. For more information, go to www.intermediates.basf.com.