Germany-based chemical company BASF SE has announced it will establish a new Polyurethane (PU)
Systems Solution House in Cartagena, Columbia to fulfill the demand of its growing markets in
Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador, as well as one in Chongqing, China to serve its growing market in
West China. Both sites will include local production along with sales and development staff and are
expected to be operational in 2011.
“We expect the market for PU systems in the Andean region to grow in the coming decade by 6
percent,” said Anton Traunfellner, managing director, BASF Polyurethanes in South America.”
In Chongqing, BASF also will build a state-of-the-art methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI)
plant with an annual production capacity of 400,000 kilotonnes. “The new PU System House will be
fully backward integrated into the planned MDI plant — a significant advantage our customers can
benefit from,” said Jacques Delmoitiez, president, BASF Polyurethanes. The PU house in Chongqing
will work with BASF’s existing systems houses and development centers in Shanghai and Nansha,
China.
BASF anticipates business opportunities in industries such as appliances, transportation,
construction and footwear in both the Andean and West China regions. Applications for the material
also include mattresses and other household goods.
April 21, 2010