Styrolux plant to be built in Mexico
8 May 2001
BASF is to build a plant to produce Styrolux (SBS), a styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer resin, at Altamira in Mexico.
The plant, which will have an initial capacity of 45,000 metric tons, is scheduled to start producing at the beginning of 2003 and will supply customers mainly in the NAFTA countries and South America.
As a material, Styrolux is suitable for food packaging such as film wrap and drinking cups. Other applications include injection-moulded articles such as coat hangers.
The Altamira plant is part of BASF's wider programme of investment in its Styrolux capacity in Antwerp and Ludwigshafen that is designed to meet the growth in demand for this product.
A few days ago, BASF completed work on expanding a plant in Antwerp, raising capacity there to 35,000 metric tons from 20,000 metric tons. Early next year, Antwerp will see a new 30,000 metric ton facility come on stream, while this year in Ludwigshafen, capacity is due to be boosted from 15,000 to about 20,000 metric tons.
