(资料图片)
Image Source : China Visual
BEIJING, October 13 (TMTPOST) – German chemical giant BASF plans to invest in a new world-class neopentyl glycol (NPG) plant with an annual capacity of 80,000 metric tons at its Zhanjiang Verbund site in China, the company announced on Wednesday.
The new plant is expected to come on stream in the fourth quarter of 2025 and will increase BASF"s global NPG capacity from 255,000 metric tons to 335,000 metric tons per year, strengthening BASF"s leading position as a global NPG manufacturer. BASF currently has NPG production facilities in Ludwigshafen, Germany; Freeport, Texas, USA; as well as Nanjing and Jilin, China.
According to Vasilios Galanos, Senior Vice President of Intermediates Asia Pacific of BASF, the investment in the NPG plant at the Verbund site in Zhanjiang will enable BASF to support the growing needs of its Asian customers, particularly in the powder coatings sector in China. With its unique Verbund model and world-class technology, BASF believes that the investment in the NPG plant will enhance its competitive advantage primarily in China, the world"s largest chemical market.
BASF is working to meet the growing demand for environmentally friendly powder coatings from our Chinese customers. The construction of the new NPG plant will be quickened to support the growth of the company’s business partners while expanding its business and maintaining its position as a leading supplier in this market, Anup Pandey, managing director of BASF Intermediates" acids and polyols business in the Asia Pacific, added.
Boasting high chemical and thermal stability, NPG is an intermediate used primarily in the production of powder-coating resins. An important area of application for NPG is powder coatings, especially for the construction and automotive industries and household appliances. Thanks to its low volatile organic compounds (VOCs), powder coatings enable their users to comply with VOC emission standards, with up to 50 percent fewer VOCs being released compared to liquid coatings. NPG can also be used to produce lubricants, plasticizers, and pharmaceuticals. For example, it is used as a building block for synthetic hormones, cardiovascular drugs, and painkillers.
