BASF plans to invest a "double digit million euro" sum in a new plant at Ludwigshafen for lubricants based on polyalylene glycol (PAG) and blends. The facility, for which no capacity is given, is due to start up in early 2016.

The German group said the new capacity, back-integrated into ethylene and propylene oxide, will support global growth of synthetic lubricant formulators.

"With the new plant we are consequently following our strategic path as a world-class leading supplier for synthetic lubricant solutions," said Martin Widmann, senior vice president of the BASF business unit Fuel and Lubricant Solutions.