BASF eyes styrene debottlenecking

09 July 2001 00:00  [Source: ACN]

BASF is evaluating the option of debottlenecking the 320 000 tonne/year styrene plant it acquired in late June from SK Evertec, a BASF source told ACN. The source would not disclose further details.

The proposed expansion would be part of BASF's strategy to enhance its Asian styrenics presence, ACN understands. The move would also fit in with its back-integration policy.

'This acquisition is a further step towards increasing competitiveness by backward integration of BASF's PS, ABS and expandable PS production in South Korea,' the source said.

'This acquisition provides a secure and reliable access to styrene at the most competitive costs, which is essential for BASF's growth and profitability in the styrenics value chain, particularly in the highly cost-sensitive Asia Pacific markets,' the source added.

However, despite the acquisition, BASF will continue to be a net importer of styrene in Asia, the source said.

BASF also has a 120 000 tonne/year plant in Nanjing, China, and is constructing a worldscale styrene monomer/propylene oxide (SM-PO) facility in Singapore to start up in H2 2002.

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