Expansion of Styrdour C production by BASF

03-Aug-11

BASF has planned to augment capacity of insulation material Styrodur C 220,000 m³ at the Ludwigshafen site, raising capacity of extruded polystyrene rigid foam panels (XPS) from the current 1.3 million m³ by end of 2011. It will be possible to manufacture new XPS types Styrodur Neo and Styrodur HT along with standard products in the extended plant. The plant expansion is integrated with the existing production formation, which will have a new detailed configuration to will allow a well-directed setting of particular panel properties. The same will help to increase the security of supply and quality consistency for BASF customers. "The Styrodur C business runs successfully, the demand for energy-efficient building insulation products rise continuously. By increasing our capacity we are aiming to establish our new XPS products, which represent a major advance in insulation performance and processing, within the construction sector in the long run. We can also ensure the delivery to our customers of high-performance standard products, such as thick or high-density panels," said Giorgio Greening, head of BASF's global business unit Foams. With Styrodur C, BASF is among the leading providers of XPS insulation in Europe. The European XPS market is currently growing by 3-5% pa, driven by rising energy prices and legal regulations on thermal insulation in new and old buildings. Pressure-resistant, water-repellent and rot-proof Styrodur C has been protecting homes against heat, cold and moisture for more than 45 years. This prolongs the service life of buildings, increases their value and improves the living climate. The various types of Styrodur C, which all contain air as cell gas, are distinguished mainly by their compressive strength. Styrodur HT (HT = high temperature) is suitable for all insulation applications exposed to high temperatures. Styrodur Neo, a gray XPS with integrated graphite particles, shows a 20% higher insulation performance than competitive materials.