APIC '08: BASF predicts 6% Asia plasticiser growth

27 May 2008 10:01  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Plasticisers will see robust growth in Asia of around 6%/year on average over the next decade, said the head of BASF's Asia petrochemicals business on Tuesday.

 

"We see a healthy market for plasticisers in the coming years in Asia, driven by China and India. We don't expect any down cycle in this market that we may see in olefins," said Albert Heuser, president of BASF’s global petrochemicals division, on the sidelines of the Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference 2008 (APIC) in Singapore.

 

As previously announced, BASF plans to build a 120,000 tonne/year 2-propylheptanol (2PH) plant for plasticiser production as one of a number of downstream units in Nanjing, China, as part of its $900m petrochemicals expansion project in Asia.

 

The project, which would include an ethylene cracker expansion and the construction of downstream facilities, was expected to be completed by the end of 2010 or the beginning of 2011, said Heuser.

 

"We do not intend to build a plasticiser plant in China but will focus on the alcohols for plasticiser production," he added.

 

BASF produces plasticisers at its 100,000 tonne/year facility in Kuantan, Malaysia.

 

APIC runs from May 27-28 and is hosted by the Singapore Chemical Industry Council.

 

ICIS and The Chemical Daily have produced an official 84-page special publication on Asian petrochemicals for the APIC event 

 

 

By: Joseph Chang
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