BASF to boost polyurethane plants
15 Jan 2000
Major building work will soon be underway at BASF's sites around the world, as the company embarks on a major programme to strengthen its polyurethanes business. New plants and extra capacities for important raw materials are to be built in two phases, the company says.
The expansion will focus on two products, methylene bis-phenyl isocyanate (MDI) and toluene diisocyanate (TDI). In the first phase of the project, BASF plans to build a 140 000t/a MDI plant at Geismar, Louisiana, and to expand the capacity of the TDI plant in Schwartzheide, Germany, by 30 000t/a to 70 000t/a. Both plants will come on-stream in 2000, when the Schwartzheide MDI plant will close `to balance MDI demand and BASF MDI capacity in Europe.'
In its second phase, the project switches to the Far East, with 100 000t/a plants for both MDI and TDI to be built at Hangshou Bay near Shanghai. Part of a joint venture between BASF, the China Petrochemicals Corporation and the Shanghai Hua Yi group, the plants will start up in 2001.
