BASF and Sinopec have inaugurated their world-scale isononanol (INA) plant in Maoming Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone at Maoming, China. The new 180,000 t/y facility – the first-ever in China – will be run by BASF MPCC Company Limited (BMC), a 50:50 joint venture of the German and Chinese chemical giants. Output is earmarked for the plasticizers market.

INA is a starting material for the high molecular weight phthalate plasticizer diisononyl phthalate (DINP). Ongoing substitution of low molecular weight phthalate plasticizers by high molecular weight phthalates such as DINP is expected to drive the demand for INA in the upcoming years, BASF said.

The plant is an important milestone toward the chemical group’s midterm goal of producing locally 75% of what it sells in the region, said Albert Heuser, President Functions Asia Pacific, president and chairman Greater China.

BASF and Sinopec’s long-term partnership operates the joint venture BASF-YPC Co. Ltd., formed in 2000 at Nanjing, China.