BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) has inaugurated its new production plant for mobile emissions catalysts in Sroda Slaska, a Special Economic Zone near Wroclaw, Poland. The grand-opening event was attended by a number of national and local government officials, including Polish Vice Minister of Labor and Social Policy Jacek Mecina, as well as BASF board member Dr. Hans-Ulrich Engel.
Construction of the new 40,000 square meter manufacturing facility – BASF’s largest emissions catalysts plant in Europe – began in late 2012, supported by an initial €90 million investment. The plant began production trials in April 2014, and last month started up two emissions catalysts manufacturing lines, with an initial employee base of 100.
Additional expansions will follow, raising the total investment for the plant to approximately €150 million. Once all ten planned light duty and heavy duty catalysts production lines are operating at full capacity by 2016, BASF expects to employ more than 400 people at the Sroda Slaska site.
The emissions catalysts produced in Sroda Slaska will be used by manufacturers of light-duty gasoline vehicles and light and heavy duty diesel vehicles to meet more stringent Euro 6/VI emissions regulations.