Multi-million euro investment in European amine production for BASF
The action will see the company invest a double-digit million euro amount in expanding its current production facilities, which are planned to go on stream gradually by early 2017.
“This investment will allow us to meet the growing demand that our European customers have for specialty amines,” says Stefan Blank, President, BASF Intermediates division.
“We have decades of experience in the development and manufacturing of amines and hold a leading position globally with regard to these versatile intermediate products. Through the current expansion, we will strengthen this position.”
Production
The facility will produce alkyl-, alkanol-, alkoxyalkylamines, heterocyclic and aromatic as well as specialty amines.
The range is completed by an expanding portfolio of chiral amines of high optical and chemical purity, and will serve the cosmetics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, detergents and crop protection markets.
In cosmetics, amines are used in face powders, shaving creams, hair-colouring products for both men and women as well as hair sprays. Amines are also used in soaps, sunscreens, foundations, concealers, eyeliners, talcs and face powders.
Market
With this investment, BASF says it is strengthening its worldwide amine production network with plants in Ludwigshafen and Schwarzheide, Germany, in Antwerp, Belgium, in Geismar, Louisiana and in Nanjing, China.
In March and April 2014, BASF announced the construction of two new multiple product plants for the manufacturing of specialty amines at the BASF Verbund sites in Ludwigshafen, Germany and Nanjing, China, where startup is planned for 2015.
With about 200 different amines, BASF has a very diverse portfolio of this type of chemical intermediates.
According to Transparency Market Research, the global amines market, which was worth nearly $10.57 billion in 2012, could observe growth at a CAGR of 3.5% between 2013 and 2019, and reach a market value worth $13.45 billion in 2019.