The Asia Pacific market for engineering plastics is expected to grow at about 8% pa over the next decade. Production will have to be increased to meet the rising demand in the fast growing market for engineering plastics in Asia. As a strategic decision to meet the future demand of this region, BASF has plans to expand compounding capacities for engineering plastics in the next two years. BASF has set targets to generate 20% of sales and earnings in its chemical activities in Asia Pacific and increase the share of local production to 70% by 2010.
BASF has planned capacity expansion in China; the company plans to build a new compounding plant with a capacity of 45,000 tpa at its existing Pudong site in Shanghai. Construction of the new facility will start in Q1 2005, and the plant is scheduled to come on stream by end of 2006.
BASF also plans capacity expansion at Pasir Gudang, Malaysia, from 30,000 tpa to 45,000 tpa by Q2 2005.
The total investment will range in the double-digit million Euro area. Both plants produce Ultramid® (polyamide PA) and Ultradur® (polybutylene perephthalate PBT) compounds. With the capacity hikes in Pudong and Pasir Gudang, BASF´s compounding capacity for engineering plastics in the Asian region will exceed 100,000 metric tpa.
28-Feb-05 
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