BASF has announced that its process catalysts manufacturing facility will be ceasing operations at its Erie site in 2021 due to non-profitable operations in the long term despite heavy investments. The move is in line with the firm’s long-term business plans.

Dr. Kurt Bock succeeds Dr. Jürgen Hambrecht and has been selected as the new chairman of the Supervisory Board of BASF. Earlier, he had also been elected to the Supervisory Board as a shareholder representative.

Allthough the low oil price troubles the US shale industry, chemicals giant BASF continues its plants for a propylene Megaplant in the US: The company has chosen Freeport., Texas, as the site for its latest methane-based propylene complex.

The demand for alternatives to lead chromate pigments is increasing. BASF reacts to this trend and is is going to significantly increase its production capacities of bismuth vanadate pigments in Besigheim near Stuttgart/Germany. The additional capacities will be available as of 2017.

Trinami X, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BASF, recently announced the launch of a mobile near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy solution. Spectroscopy is a well-proven analysis method that the company now makes affordable and accessible beyond factory and laboratory applications.

BASF’s 10 billion dollar project has commenced piling work for the development of the first plants which are expected to produce engineering plastics and thermoplastic polyurethane for the domestic and Asian market.

BASF will increase its production capacities for the chemical intermediate 1,4-butanediol (BDO) by 10 % at its US-site in Geismar/Louisiana as of 2016. The company will then have a global capacity of BDO of 670,000 metric tons per year.

Digitalization and Industry 4.0 have arrived in the process industry — a lot more quickly and with far greater penetration than some would have believed of this generally conservative, safety-minded sector. It was precisely the process automation experts for the large chemical companies who recognized the potential opportunities at an early stage, and drove forward the required developments, particularly the necessary standardization. Siemens is amongst the pace-setters on the supplier side. In the course of this progression, the supplier of automation and electrification engineering has become a software giant able to offer its customers a digital solution for practically every challenge.

BASF has started up a new production plant for pearlisers, opacifiers, and specialty blends in the USA. The move is expected to increase the company’s global capacity to meet the increasing demand for these specialty ingredients.

To convert hydrocarbon fractions of petroleum crude oils to more valuable gasoline, olefinic gases, and other products refineries use mostly Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC). By establishing a new testing and research laboratory at the hte site in Heidelberg, Germany BASF strengthens its Refining Catalysts business.