BASF to build an integrated TDI plant in Ludwigshafen  

BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) says it will build a single-train 300,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) production plant for toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and expand additional plants for its precursors at its site in Ludwigshafen. These include the construction of a new hydrogen chloride recycling plant as well as the expansion of plants for nitric acid, chlorine and synthesis gas. It is also planned to expand the aromatics complex at the site for the supply of toluene. Total investment including the required infrastructure at Ludwigshafen site will be about €1 billion and create around 200 additional jobs. Production will start at the end of 2014. BASF plans to close down its 80,000 metric tons per year TDI production plant in Schwarzheide, Germany, when the new plant goes on stream. TDI is a key component mainly used for flexible polyurethane foams. “This project will position us as the low-cost TDI producer in Europe due to economies of scale and the highly efficient integration into our Verbund,” says Wayne T. Smith, president of BASF’s Polyurethanes div.. “Building our new TDI plant at our largest Verbund site in Ludwigshafen gives us the advantage of the excellent production synergies,…