BASF ramps up Methane sulfonic acid output at the Ludwigshafen Verbund site in Germany

Ludwigshafen, Germany – Global demand for methane sulfonic acid (MSA) has increased steadily over the past years. This trend is fueled by a growing interest in environmentally optimized products and formulations. In response to growing customer demand, BASF has invested a higher double-digit million euro amount to expand production capacities at the Verbund site in Ludwigshafen.

“With this investment, we are helping our global customer base to formulate environmentally optimized high-performance products. In doing so, we are supporting our customers’ growth in this dynamic market as a reliable supplier,” says Soeren Hildebrandt, Senior Vice President Home Care, I&I and Industrial Formulators Europe. The investment increases capacity at the Ludwigshafen site to a total of 50,000 metric tons per year.

Sustainable alternative to conventional acids

Methane sulfonic acid – sold under the Lutropur® MSA brand – is a highly active organic acid with a unique combination of properties that sets it apart from all other acids: MSA is a strong acid that forms highly soluble salts as well as being colorless, odorless and readily biodegradable. Because of its excellent properties, methane sulfonic acid is used in numerous applications ranging from chemical and biofuel synthesis to industrial cleaning and metal surface treatment in the electronics industry.

About the Care Chemicals division at BASF

The BASF division Care Chemicals offers a broad range of ingredients for personal care, home care, industrial & institutional cleaning, and technical applications. We are the leading global supplier for the cosmetics industry as well as the detergents and cleaners industry, and support our customers with innovative and sustainable products, solutions and concepts. The division’s high-performance product portfolio includes surfactants, emulsifiers, polymers, emollients, chelating agents, cosmetic active ingredients and UV filters. We have production and development sites in all regions and are expanding our presence in emerging markets.