BASF starts up a new plant for Superabsorbents in Thailand

12-Jan-2001

BASF has started up a new plant for the production of superabsorbents in Rayong, Thailand. The plant will have an annual capacity of 20,000 metric tons. The official inauguration will be held today, January 12, 2001, in the presence of Stefan Marcinowski, member of the board of BASF Aktiengesellschaft, H.E. Hermann Erath, the German Ambassador to Thailand, Khun Staporn Kavitanon, Thai Board Of Investment Secretary General and Khun Prapan Cholweerawong, Rayong Governor.

The market for superabsorbents is one of the fastest growing in the chemical industry. The Rayong plant, which was initiated by Chemdal before its acquisition by BASF in 2000, is a perfect fit in BASF's strategy of being present in the important emerging markets of Asia. The plant, which employs the latest technology, will supply markets in Thailand and other countries in Asia and already run at high capacity from 2001 onwards.

Commenting on the Rayong project, Helmut Nickels, head of BASF's global superabsorbents business, said: "In line with our strategy, we will systematically expand our market position in Southeast Asia during the next few years. This will also lead to an expansion of our Asian capacities in due course. In doing so, we will greatly benefit from our acrylic acid complex at our Verbund site in Kuantan, Malaysia, which started production in mid-2000. The superabsorbent plant in Rayong will be supplied with acrylic acid from Kuantan."

Rayong, with its proximity to Kuantan, is strategically located in the heart of Asia. This will enable fast and reliable delivery to customers in the region.

In addition to Thailand, BASF produces superabsorbents in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. A new plant is currently being constructed in Belgium. The planned acrylics complex in Brazil comprises also a superabsorbent plant, which is targeted to start-up by end 2003. BASF is the world leader in superabsorbents and its main component acrylic acid. The company is the only one in the world with production facilities in the Americas, Europe and Asia for both products.

Superabsorbents are partially crosslinked sodium polyacrylates. These substances, which are able to absorb up to 25 times their own weight of water, have been used since the mid-1980s in hygiene products such as baby diapers. Other uses are found in agriculture - for soil-water retention - and cable wrappings, including submarine cables.

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