BASF plans to invest in a polyurethanes specialties site in Shanghai

BASF is expanding its polyurethanes activities in Asia with a planned investment in a new specialties site in Pudong, Shanghai. Polyurethanes specialties tailored to the requirements of Chinese customers are to be produced in Pudong from early 2007 onward. Approval for the project is currently being sought from the authorities in Shanghai. Construction is planned to start next year.

The project will comprise a polyurethane system house, a Technical Research & Development Center and a production plant for thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU). These activities will be integrated in one company, BASF Polyurethanes Specialties (China) Co. Ltd. The new site will use the cost advantages provided by the regional Production Verbund for polyurethane: MDI (diphenylmethane diisocyanate) and TDI (toluene diisocyanate) – basic materials needed to produce specialties in Pudong – will be supplied from Caojing, Shanghai. Here, BASF and its partners are planning to start up a world-scale production plant for these isocyanates in 2006.