BASF plans to further expand its successful engineering plastics activities with the acquisition of the North American business for major engineering plastics from LATI USA, Inc., the U.S. affiliate of the Italian plastics manufacturer LATI Industria Termoplastici SpA, effective December 30, 2005. The acquisition is not associated with the transfer of production sites or personnel. LATI and BASF will work closely to ensure the smooth supply of products and technical services for all customers. The transaction involves customer lists for polyamide 6, polyamide 6,6, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and polyoxymethylene (POM) in North America, with annual sales volumes in the low double-digit million dollar range.
This is BASF's fourth acquisition in the field of engineering plastics in the last three years: In November this year, BASF acquired the German company Leuna-Miramid. In 2003, BASF acquired and successfully integrated Honeywell's global engineering plastics business, as well as Ticona's polyamide 6,6 business. BASF is also investing in capacity expansions, with a compounding plant for engineering plastics underway at Shanghai, China. The expansion of an existing compounding plant in Pasir Gudang, Malaysia, was completed in mid-2005. A joint venture with Toray to produce PBT in Kuantan, Malaysia, is scheduled to start production at the beginning of 2006.
14-Dec-05 
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