[Industry Focus]：With a total investment of about 10 billion euros, the first batch of BASF Zhanjiang integrated base was completed.

On January 18, 2024, BASF held the inauguration ceremony of the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) device in Zhanjiang Integrated Base. As BASF the world's largest single TPU production line the new device implements the concept of intelligent production and adopts advanced technologies such as automatic guided vehicles and automation systems to further improve operational efficiency.

Dr. Martin Jung, President of BASF's Global Performance Materials Business Unit, said: "This new device will help us better meet the growing demand for TPU in the Asia-Pacific market and bring us closer to key customer industries in China and the Asia-Pacific region, especially the industrial, electric transportation and new energy industries. The formal commissioning of the device will help strengthen the Elastollan®TPU's strength in supplying innovative, recyclable material solutions in Asia is advancing our carbon cable path towards a sustainable future."

combined with the first set of engineering plastic equipment in Zhanjiang integrated base, which will be put into operation in 2022, as well as the strong innovation capability and extensive R & D network of the co-creation center in the Asia-Pacific region, BASF is fully prepared to meet the growing demand for innovative materials from customers in the region. BASF's research and development network provides engineering, simulation and manufacturing expertise, which will help drive innovation and product development to meet market needs and market trends such as automotive electrification and miniaturization of electronic equipment.

Zhanjiang Integrated Base: A Model of Sustainable and Intelligent Production

lin Hanping, President of BASF Asia Large Projects, said: "BASF's strategy is to produce close to customers. With the strong support of government departments, our employees and partners, the Zhanjiang Integrated Base project is progressing steadily, and the construction of the first batch of installations has been successfully completed on schedule. At present, the project is making every effort to build an integrated core, including a steam cracking device and a number of downstream devices that produce petrochemicals and intermediates. BASF is committed to building an integrated base in Zhanjiang into a model of sustainable and intelligent production."

dr. Lou Jianfeng, Chairman and President of BASF Greater China, said: "China is the world's largest chemical market and has important strategic significance for BASF. This new milestone in the Zhanjiang Integrated Base project underscores BASF's growing presence in China and our commitment to staying close to our local customers. With increasing production capacity in the Chinese market and a strong commitment to sustainable development, we can provide more innovative and low-carbon footprint solutions for Chinese customers."

BASF Zhanjiang integrated base plans to achieve 100 percent renewable energy power supply by 2025. BASF Zhanjiang integrated base is BASF's largest single investment project so far, with a total investment of about 10 billion euros, which is independently constructed and operated by BASF. When completed, the base will become BASF's third largest production base in the world, after the Ludwigshafen base in Germany and the Antwerp base in Belgium.

Elastollan®Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU): More Sustainable Solutions for Growing Markets

Elastollan®TPU is a versatile material used in a variety of industries, including automotive, consumer electronics, footwear, sports and leisure, healthcare, and industrial cables and wires. In the field of electric vehicles, Elastollan®TPU enables flexibility and long-term durability of the cable sheath.

With its high strength, flexibility and abrasion resistance, TPU is ideal for many applications. The growth of the TPU market, especially the increase in demand for high-end applications, has many factors contributing to it. These include increasingly stringent regulatory requirements and the growing sustainability needs of our customers.

In addition to the latest thermoplastic polyurethane plant, another modified engineering plastic plant has been put into operation in September 2022, with an annual capacity of 60000 tons.

Zhanjiang Integrated Base

2018 BASF announced that it will build a new integrated base in China, which will be operated independently, and the project site will be determined in Zhanjiang, Guangdong the following year. In 2020, the first batch of production equipment of Zhanjiang integration base was officially started. Zhanjiang integrated base covers an area of 4 square kilometers, equivalent to 500 standard football fields.

According to BASF's plan, by 2030, the investment in Zhanjiang integrated base will be up to 10 billion euros, it is BASF's largest single investment project to date..

When the base is fully completed, it will become BASF's third largest integrated production base in the world, second only to Ludwigshafen in Germany and Antwerp in Belgium. Including Zhanjiang, the company currently has seven integrated bases around the world.

Lou Jianfeng, chairman and President of BASF Greater China, said that after the first batch of units in Zhanjiang integrated base are put into operation, the next stage will focus on the core units of the construction base, including a steam cracking unit with an annual output of 1 million tons of ethylene and a number of downstream units. The core unit is expected to be operational by the end of 2025.

In addition, Lou Jianfeng also said that based on the company's multiple domestic investments, BASF's growth momentum in Greater China will remain strong in the future and occupy a larger share of the company's global market.

This also confirms that BASF's current CEO Bo Mule and his successor, Dr. Kaili, continue to be optimistic about the Chinese market. It is reported that Dr. Kaili is also one of the main promoters of the Zhanjiang integration base project.

Progress of Zhanjiang Integration Project

september 2023 the synthetic gas plant of BASF Zhanjiang integrated base has broken ground. This world-class synthetic gas plant will be fully integrated in the integrated base and is planned to be put into production in 2025. Bir Darbar Mehta, senior vice president for Asia Pacific petrochemicals at BASF, said: the technical concept of this device is the first of its kind in China., especially in reducing the carbon footprint of butyl octanol and ethylene oxide products.

In August 2023, ThyssenKrupp Wood Thailand won the contract for the construction of a new non-ionic surfactant (NIS) plant for BASF's Guangdong Zhanjiang Integration Project to provide engineering services and supply of proprietary equipment.

On July 21, 2023, BASF and Mingyang reached an agreement to jointly build and operate offshore wind farms in South China, and established a joint venture company "Zhanjiang Mingyang BASF New Energy Co., Ltd". The wind farm is expected to be fully operational in 2025, and its power generation will mainly provide renewable energy power for BASF's integrated Zhanjiang base.

12 July 2023 BASF and Zhejiang Guanghua Technology Co., Ltd. signed a letter of intent to supply Guanghua shares with neopentyl glycol (NPG) from BASF's integrated base in Zhanjiang.

19 June 2023, BASF Zhanjiang Integrated Base polyethylene Unit construction has started. This new unit with an annual output of 500000 tons of polyethylene will meet the fast-growing demand of the Chinese market. The plant is scheduled to be put into production in 2025.

March 2023, BASF Zhanjiang integration base neopentyl glycol (NPG) and citral (Citral) plant construction; On the 13th of that month, BASF also announced on its official website that the new production complex of Zhanjiang integration base had broken ground, including ice acrylic acid (GAA) plant, butyl acrylate (BA) plant and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2-EHA) plant.

February 18, 2023 the new production complex of BASF Zhanjiang integrated base has broken ground, including glacial acrylic acid (GAA) plant, butyl acrylate (BA) plant and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2-EHA) plant.

16 September 2022 the EO/EG (ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol) unit of BASF (Guangdong) integrated base project built by Sinochem Sanjian started.

September 15, 2022 china Chemical Engineering Co., Ltd. and BASF Group signed a construction partnership framework agreement in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, to jointly promote the construction of BASF Zhanjiang integrated base project.

On September 6, 2022, the first set of equipment of BASF Zhanjiang integration base was officially put into operation. Since then, BASF will increase the production of modified engineering plastics by 60000 tons/year for the Chinese market, and increase the total production capacity of this product in the Asia-Pacific region to 420000 tons/year from 2023.