Preparing for further growth: BASF invests in a new specialty amines plant in the United States

BASF is building an alkylethanolamine (AEOA) plant at its U.S. Verbund site in Geismar, Louisiana. The new plant, scheduled to come on line in 2007, complements existing amine production facilities at Geismar. The site currently manufactures some 20 different specialty amines. The new Geismar plant increases BASF’s worldwide production capacities for these important intermediates by about 40 percent. BASF also operates AEOA plants at its Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

“We see strong domestic growth opportunity for alkylethanolamines in a number of markets including water treatment, polyurethane catalysts, pharmaceuticals, and coatings,” said Joe Lynch, Business Director for BASF’s Amine Intermediates business in North America. “This investment will allow us to harvest those domestic opportunities, in particular in the polyurethane catalyst and water treatment markets, key targets for BASF amine business.”

Dr. Walter Gramlich, head of the Intermediates Operating Division of the BASF Group, said: “With this plant we reinforce our leading position as a global producer of standard and specialty amines of which alkylethanolamines are a prime example. The Geismar production will make us the world’s only manufacturer of these chemical intermediates with production bases in two regions. As a result we are preparing the basis for further growth of our global amine business which in recent years has been developing very successfully.”

Alkylethanolamines are mainly used as precursors for flocculants applied in water treatment. In addition they are utilized in fabric softener production and in the coatings industry where they act as binders between pigments and resins.


The world’s most multifaceted amine selection

BASF has the world’s most diverse portfolio of amines. In addition to alkyl-, alkanol-, alkoxyalkyl-, di- and polyamines, the company also produces aromatic amines as well as heterocyclic and chiral blends. In addition the company is marketing a constantly expanding portfolio of chiral amines of high optical and chemical purity. These chemical intermediates are produced in Ludwigshafen and Schwarzheide (Germany), Antwerp (Belgium), Geismar (United States), Camaçari (Brazil), and since 2005 also in Nanjing, the Verbund site in China.

This diverse line of chemical intermediates is being utilized with great success in manufacturing pharmaceuticals and cosmetics as well as cleaning and crop protection agents. Intermediates are additionally employed in producing various plastics and coating resins. Amines are also part of process chemical formulations applied, for instance, in water treatment as well as paper, textile and leather manufacturing.


BASF

The operating division Intermediates of the BASF Group develops, produces and markets the world’s largest range of intermediates. The most important of the division’s more than 600 products include amines, diols, polyalcohols and acids. Among other applications, intermediates are used as starting materials for coatings, plastics, pharmaceuticals, textile fibers, detergents and crop protectants. Innovative BASF intermediates help to improve the properties of the final product and the efficiency of production processes. The ISO 9001:2000-certified operating division Intermediates has access to plants at production sites in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. In 2005, this BASF operating division with 2,665 employees generated world sales of above 2 billion euros. For more information, go to www.basf.de/intermediates.

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