BASF invests $200 million in plastic additives business

In a move designed to align itself with expansions by existing and new polyolefin producers in North America, chemical and additives maker BASF plans to invest more than US$200 million in its plastic additives business worldwide.

Part of this investment will focus on strengthening its manufacturing footprint in North America by investing in its McIntosh, Ala. site.

BASF’s McIntosh, Ala. site.

“Low-priced natural gas feedstock enticed many large petrochemical companies to construct new plants and expand operations in North America…[and our] investment aligns with announced expansions by existing and new polyolefin producers in North America, which significantly increases production capacity in the market,” said Anup Kothari, senior vice president, BASF Performance Chemicals. “To us, this is a clear signal of our customers’ commitment to growth in the region. The close proximity of our McIntosh site to our customers’ plants places us in an ideal position to fuel their growth.”

BASF’s investment in McIntosh will expand the production capacity of light stabilizers, namely the Tinuvin product line. Tinuvin UV absorbers prevent degradation of both plastics and coatings by filtering out harmful UV radiation.

In addition to its US locations, BASF’s Plastic Additives business has manufacturing sites in Mexico, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Bahrain, China, and Singapore.