BASF plans to begin production of 1,4-butanediol based on renewable feedstock (renewable BDO) using the patented process of Genomatica, San Diego/California. The one-step fermentation process is based on sugars as a renewable feedstock.

Solvay announced that BASF agreed to acquire its Polyamides business for € 1.6 billion (approx. $ 1.92 billion).

BASF and Sinopec are considering the extension of their Nanjing joint venture BASF-YPC Company Limited with the expansion of existing ethylene oxide (EO) production, and a new plant for neopentylglycol (NPG). BASF-YPC will further expand its acrylic acid value chain with additional acrylic acid and butyl acrylate plants. Production is expected to commence in 2014.

Site visit in Leverkusen, Germany: The foundation is being put in place for a third revolutionary production methodology in the process industry to take its place along side of continuous and batch production. European producers are joining forces to ensure that they stay one step ahead in the technology race, and an initial demonstration line has been constructed at the purpose-built research centre.

From September 25th-29th, 2011, Berlin is the focal point of European process engineering and biotechnology. More than 3,000 participants from Europe and beyond are expected for the 8th European Congress of Chemical Engineering and the 1st European Congress of Applied Biotechnology.

At the 10th World Congress of Chemical Engineering ,the plenaries offered a representative view of the chemical industry with presentations of top level executives from the world’s largest chemical companies. The representatives addressed global challenges and explained their solutions in specific applications.

In light of the planned acquisition of Monsanto, Bayer has signed an agreement to sell selected Crop Science businesses to BASF for € 5.9 billion (approx. $ 6.97 billion).

BASF broke ground on a new resin and electrocoat (e-coat) plant at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park in Shanghai. With its operation scheduled to commence in the second half of 2015, the plant will help to address the increasing demand for high quality coatings solutions in various growing industries, notably the automotive industry, in Asia Pacific.

At the middle of the year BASF will change the management of its Oil & Gas division. For this reason Mario Mehren will also head the BASF subsidiary Wintershall.

Despite their fundamental differences, compressed air and vacuum technology do have some things in common: expensive technology is required in order to generate high or low pressures. Variable-speed drives are the technology of choice for compressors and vacuum pumps alike in order to keep operating costs in check. The demand for contracting quotations is also increasing.