Bayer: Three-year TDI consolidation process completed

14-Jun-2005

Bayer MaterialScience AG has concluded a consolidation process started three years ago for Toluene Diisocyanate (TDI) and its precursors. Production is now concentrated at three integrated world scale plants in Baytown (USA), Brunsbüttel and Dormagen, where the world's largest plant for the starting product, TDA, was inaugurated in 2003. The company invested over EUR 300 million in world scale plants during this period. TDI is used to manufacture polyurethane flexible foam, large quantities of which are consumed in the production of upholstered furniture, mattresses and car seats.

Bayer MaterialScience is planning to open yet another world scale production facility in Caojing, China. It is scheduled to commence operation in 2009 with a capacity of 160,000 tons per year. The project is part of a total investment package amounting to some USD 1.8 billion for the Caojing site. The new facility will be equipped with the latest technology, feature an innovative energy management concept and boast resource-conserving production processes.

"By concentrating our capacities at high-output facilities with innovative processes, we are ideally equipped for the future as market leader and can above all manufacture our products cost-efficiently. We are now in a position to reliably support the growth of our customers with superior quality products and expand our leading role in the world market thanks to optimized cost structures," remarked Peter Vanacker, head of the Polyurethanes Business Unit at Bayer MaterialScience.

The closing of the TDI facility in New Martinsville, USA, marks the last step in the consolidation process. Over the last three years, production activities were also discontinued at plants in Antwerp (Belgium), Coatzacoalcos (Mexico), Leverkusen (Germany) and Niihama (Japan).

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