BASF has announced plans to invest more than €200 million in its global plastic additives business over the next five years. The world’s largest chemical producer said the focus will be on capacity expansions and operational excellence at its sites in North America and Europe as well as investments in automation, digital technologies and modelling. In Asia, which already represents more than half of the business, the German group wants to strengthen its global footprint.

No capacity figures were given for the planned plant expansions. Christian Fischer, president of BASF’s Performance Chemicals division, said investments will be aimed in particular at meeting increasing global demand for antioxidants as well as light stabilizers. The upgrade of digital processes and technology is designed to to support our customers as a reliable supplier in all regions,” he said.

Flanking its capital spending efforts, BASF said innovation remains an integral part of its business strategy for plastics additives. At the K international Plastics Exhibition held in October in Düsseldorf, Germany, the group launched two new light stabilizers, both of which are said to be undergoing sampling at key customers.

One of the new additives is Tinuvin 880, a medium molecular weight light stabilizer based on a new chemistry, which is claimed to provide “significantly improved” light stability, especially in interior car applications. This is said to have the additional benefit of offering higher thermal stability.

BASF said the second new product, Tinuvin XT 55, provides formulators with very good durability and excellent secondary properties such as color stability, gas fading and extraction resistance.