Bayers' expansion in China to strengthen grip in PU industry in Asia Pacific

04-Sep-08

The startup of Bayer MaterialScience's 350,000 tpa MDI production facility in Shanghai later this year, and the new BaySystems system house in Guangzhou, will strengthen the company's position in China's polyurethane industry as well as in the Asia Pacific region. Demand growth for polyurethanes in China has outstripped that in other parts of the world, reflecting the rapid pace of development of downstream industries such as the automotive, construction, and sports & leisure industries. China is set to become the world's largest market for polyurethanes by 2015. In Q4, the company plans to inaugurate its BaySystems facility in Guangzhou, offering a full range of ready-made and customized polyurethanes solutions. In construction, BaySystems® rigid foam provides superior insulation properties, thereby requiring less energy consumption in controlling the temperatures within the building. For every kilogram of polyurethane used in construction, as much as 755 kga of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions could be saved over the average lifespan of a building, according to Bayer's estimates. Such rigid foam is already being used in Bayer's first zero-emission building, the EcoCommercial Building. The building, currently being constructed in India, is expected to derive up to a 70% reduction in energy consumption by using such energy-efficient solutions and the building's own resources for generating solar energy. In the transportation industry, a lighter vehicle is a more fuel-efficient vehicle. With Baypreg®F and Multitec®, automotive manufacturers can reduce the weight of a carbody parts by 30-40% compared to reinforced glass fiber alternatives, enabling cars to be significantly more fuel-efficient. Such advanced polyurethane composites replace wood and particle boards in emergency vehicles, trucks, recreational vehicles and boats. Seats made from polyurethanes further contribute to weight reduction, in addition to providing high levels of comfort. Bayer estimates that every kilogram of polyurethane used in the automotive industry will save the equivalent of 6-12 kgs of carbon dioxide emissions over the entire lifespan of the car.