BASF is starting production of acrylic dispersions in South Africa
On September 3, 2012 German BASF has opened its first production plant for dispersions at Umbogintwini Industrial Complex in Durban, South Africa in order to serve the fast growing South African and Sub-Saharan African coatings and construction industry with acrylic dispersions based on the state-of-the art technologies
With the portfolio of specialties, BASF assists customers to move towards more environmentally friendly technologies such as reduced Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC).
The BASF Group in South Africa – active for around 90 years – supplies the local industries with a wide variety of products and solutions from chemicals, plastics, coatings, dispersions, agricultural products to mining and construction chemicals and emission catalysts.
The African BASF history started with exporting colorants and intermediates to Kenya from Germany since the 19202. Today the Group employs more than 1000 people in Africa (excluding the oil and gas activities). In North Africa the company is represented in Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Key industries are construction, textiles, agriculture, automotive, as well as the health care and plastics sectors. Since 45 years the company is headquartered in Midrand, Johannesburg. The BASF Group in South Africa entails six companies with major locations in Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, including a world class automotive emission catalysts production site in Port Elizabeth and production facilities for construction chemicals, coil coatings and polyurethane plastics. There are also regional sales hubs for Eastern Africa, BASF East Africa Ltd. in Kenya, for Western Africa, BASF West Africa Ltd. in Nigeria were established in 2011-12, and additional Sub-Saharan representative offices in Mali, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia and Zambia.