27 Nov '14
BASF plans “substantial investment” in Antwerp for absorbent polymers
Summary
Along with establishing new plants for the production of super-absorbent polymers, used in products such as diapers, BASF will inject hundreds of millions into its Antwerp site
Half a billion worldwide
The German chemicals company BASF has announced an investment of €500 million in the production worldwide of super-absorbent polymers. About one-third of the production will take place in Antwerp, which will receive a “substantial” share of the investment, the company said.
Super-absorbent polymers (SAPs) are chemicals that can absorb many times their own weight, which makes them perfectly suited to the new generation of disposable nappies, incontinence products and sanitary hygiene products.
BASF produces about 590,000 tonnes of SAPs at present. Over the next three years, existing plants will be adapted for the new product, beginning in Europe with Asia and America following later.
Antwerp is BASF’s second-largest production site and will produce around one-third of the company’s output of SAPs.
Photo courtesy BASF
