BASF is expanding its global production network of amines with a new 12,000 t/y plant for specialty amines at its Ludwigshafen, Germany headquarters. Start-up is scheduled for 2015.

The plant will complement existing units for amines at Ludwigshafen and Schwarzheide, Germany as well as at Antwerp, Belgium, Geismar, Louisiana, U.S. and Nanjing, China. The range of the new multi-product plant extends to 15 amines for varying applications in the construction, automotive, crop protection and pharmaceutical industries.

With the new facility, which is said to allow flexible reaction to changes in demand for individual products, the German multinational group said it is responding to customer demand for specialty amines, particularly in Europe.

In March of this year, BASF announced plans for another new multi-product specialty amines unit, at Nanjing, China. The main products of this plant, which is due to start operation in 2015, will be dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA) and polyetheramine (PEA).