BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) will build a new specialty amines plant at its existing wholly owned site in Nanjing Chemical Industry Park in China. The new multi-product plant can manufacture 21,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) and further extends BASF’s amines portfolio at the specialty amines complex in Nanjing. The plant is scheduled to come on stream in 2019 and will mainly produce 1,2-propylenediamine (1,2-PDA), n-octylamine (n-OA) and polyetheramine (PEA).
“BASF offers a wide range of amines globally, and this investment reflects our continued commitment to meeting the growing market demand in Asia Pacific,” says Stefan Blank, president, BASF Intermediates division. “Building on decades of experience in developing and manufacturing amines, this new plant will further
strengthen our global leadership in these versatile intermediate products.”
“This investment will help us to meet the increasing Asia Pacific demand for specialty amines used as intermediates in a diverse range of industries and applications, such as epoxy formulations, crop protection agents, spandex and biocides for the coatings industry,” says Narayan Krishnamohan, senior vice president, Intermediates Asia Pacific, BASF. “Through this expansion, we will be able to better serve our customers in Asia Pacific with steady and timely supply of quality products.”
BASF also has manufacturing capacities for both 1,2-PDA and n-OA at its Ludwigshafen Verbund site in Germany. Manufacturing plants for PEA are located at BASF sites in Ludwigshafen, Geismar, USA and Nanjing, China.
The main products of the new plant include:
– 1,2-propylendiamine (1,2-PDA) is an essential ingredient to produce elastic fibers. It is also used as a building block in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, crop protection agents, colorants, textile auxiliaries, pigments and optical brighteners. Furthermore, it is used as a corrosion inhibitor in surface treatment products
– n-octylamine (n-OA) is used as a chemical intermediate for the synthesis of antimicrobial and biocidal agents
– polyetheramines (PEA) are chemical intermediates used, for example, to produce polyurea coatings, adhesives and plastics. PEA is also used as a curing agent in epoxy resin systems for the production of blades for wind energy plants. BASF offers PEA under its Baxxodur brand
With about 300 different amines, BASF has the world’s most diverse portfolio of this type of chemical intermediates. Along with alkyl-, alkanol- and alkoxyalkylamines, the company offers 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. These versatile products are used mainly to manufacture process chemicals, pharmaceuticals and crop protection products, as well as cosmetic products and detergents. They also serve to produce coatings, special plastics, composites and special fibers.