BASF Progresses on Expansion Project at MDI Site
The German chemicals giant will add 300,000 mt/yr of capacity to its Verbund site in Geismar, LA over the next several years.
December 17, 2020
German chemicals and materials manufacturer BASF announced Thursday that its project to boost methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) capacity at its Verbund site in Geismar, LA is moving forward on schedule.
The three-phase expansion effort aims to double the site’s capacity from 300,000 mt/yr to 600,000 mt/yr. A new MDI synthesis unit was recently completed and put in operation during the first phase at the Geismar site.
“The North American MDI market and our customers remain a key focus and we are pursuing this investment to support their growth,” Ramkumar Dhruva, president of BASF’s Monomers division, said in a statement. “BASF supports customer growth by providing innovative polyurethane solutions that reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Some examples include improved insulation for buildings and lightweight materials for the automotive industry.”
BASF is currently carrying out the second phase of the project, which involves expanding the capacity of several of its upstream units. Those assets are expected to become operational in the latter half of 2021.
“The Geismar site is ideally suited for this investment thanks to its existing infrastructure, competitive raw materials and ongoing strong busines support from the state and local government,” said Stefan Doerr, who lead’s BASF’s Monomers business in North America, in the release. “With this integrated facility, BASF will continue to be a leading MDI supplier in North America as well as globally.”
The last phase of the project is slated to reach completion in the middle of the decade.
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