BASF expands its global capacities for butanediol and Poly THF
BASF is to increase its global capacities for producing the chemical intermediate 1,4-butanediol (BDO) and BDO derivative PolyTHF® (polytetramethylene ether glycol, PTMEG) within the next two years
The respective production capacity of BDO will rise from 535000 to 65000 metric t. In view to PolyTHF, BASF already announce a capacity increase in August 2022 from 185000 to 250000 metric t. The expansion is made to implement measures to boost efficiency and improve infrastructure. Thexy include investments in the double digit million EUR range to increase capacity for BDO operations at BASF’s Geismar, Louisiana (USA) site, and for PolyTHF at Caojing (PRC). Part of the capacity increase will be covered by a BDO and Poly THF plant at Korla (PRC). Thjese plants will be built by two joint venture companies established by VASF and Xinjiang Markor Chemical Industry Co. Ltd. and the plants will be able to deliver 100000 metric t of BDO and 50000 metric t of PolyTHF. Take up of production is scheduled for 2015 and they will serve their customers in the Chinese market.
BDO is manufactured already for 70 years at BASF site in Ludwigshafen (D) Verbund site – the latter was initiated 30 years ago – by means of the Reppe process (acetylene based process named after its inventor, a BASF chemist). Other sites are located in Geismar, Luisiana (USA), Chiba (J), Kuantan, Malaysia, Caojing (PRC) and Ulsan, Korea. BDO and its derivatives are used for producing, plastics, solvents, electronic chemicals and elastic fibres. Starting materials are natural gas, butane, butadiene and propylene.