Displaying items by tag: BASF

• Wholly-owned world-scale plants with capacities of 40,000 tons of quaternized cationic monomers  and 20,000 tons of cationic polyacrylamides per year
• Production planned to start up in 2012

BASF has decided to establish a wholly-owned world-scale production base for water treatment and paper chemicals in Nanjing, China, with the construction of a 40,000 t/a quaternized cationic monomers plant and a 20,000 t/a cationic polyacrylamides plant.

The two BASF plants, which are designed to high international standards of safety and energy efficiency, are expected to start up production in the third quarter of 2012. They mark the first Asian manufacturing of these products for BASF.

“This investment underlines our long-term commitment to China both in economic and environmental terms,” said Dr. Albert Heuser, President Market and Business Development Asia Pacific. “The establishment of these plants is part of our growth strategy for Asia Pacific to double our sales by 2020 while contributing to a sustainable future.”

Cationic monomers are a key feedstock for cationic polyacrylamides. Cationic polyacrylamides are used as organic flocculants in the water treatment industry and as retention aids in the paper industry.

The water treatment and papermaking industries are growing at a high rate in Asia, particularly in China. This is a result of substantial investment in water treatment infrastructure and strongly increasing paper consumption, fuelled by high growth in regional GDP.

“We are one of the leading suppliers to the water treatment industry with a strong platform for future growth in a very attractive market. This investment is our long-term response to the growing demand from our customers in Asia,” said Hans W. Reiners, President Performance Chemicals division, which also includes BASF’s Water Solutions business. “Nanjing is an ideal location for such an investment as it offers BASF a high degree of backward integration”, Reiners added.

"Following our recent announcement of plans to build a plant for XSB dispersions in Huizhou, South China, this investment further demonstrates our commitment to the fast-growing paper industry in emerging Asia, especially in China. Our ability to produce within the region will underpin our supply reliability and the success of our customers," said EngSoo Chew, Senior Vice President Paper Chemicals Asia Pacific.

The plants will be built according to BASF’s high global standards of safety and environmental protection. This process for planning a plant is laid down in a binding guideline that is valid throughout the BASF Group. The five-step review system for environmental protection, health and safety (EHS reviews) covers all aspects of process safety, occupational health and environmental protection. Furthermore, BASF places particular importance on training its safety experts worldwide to implement the same high safety standards in all its production facilities.

About BASF’s Water Treatment Chemicals

The product range of BASF’s Water Solutions business includes products used in the key processes of municipal and industrial water treatment: products to clarify the raw water used for the production of potable water, as well as treating the wastewater stream and reducing sludge volumes. Our products are marketed worldwide. We are one of the leading suppliers in these fields. Further information on our products may be found at: www.watersolutions.basf.com

About BASF’s Paper Chemicals

BASF’s Paper Chemicals division offers process chemicals to optimize costs and increase machine efficiency, functional chemicals to lend specific properties to paper, and finishing chemicals to improve the appearance and performance characteristics of printed paper and board. With this comprehensive portfolio, BASF is the leading supplier of paper chemicals worldwide.

BASF established Paper Chemicals as a separate division when it acquired Ciba in April 2009. The ISO 9001-certified Paper Chemicals division operates sites in Europe, Asia and the Americas. For more information, go to

www.paper-chemicals.basf.com

About BASF

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals and oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF creates chemistry to help its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than €50 billion in 2009 and had approximately 105,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

Press contact:

Asia Pacific

Genevieve Hilton

Tel: +852 2731 0197

Mobile: +852 9025 9857

E-mail:

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For Greater China 

Joanna Shen

Tel.: +86 21 2320 3053

Fax: +86 21 2320 3099

E-mail:

joanna.shen@basf.com 

BASF will contribute €250,000 to the United Nations Central Emergency Fund (CERF) for immediate aid to flood victims in Pakistan.

This donation, provided by the BASF Social Foundation, will be used in on-site initiatives such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). In this way, BASF will ensure that food, medicine and relief goods will reliably reach those most in need.

Dr. Jürgen Hambrecht, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF, said, “The natural disaster in Pakistan shocks the whole company. With this donation we aim to help people who have lost their homes and are now facing hunger and disease. In addition, I would like to call on all BASF employees to do their part in donating to the flood victims.” For example, BASF has started an employee donation campaign at its headquarters site in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

Immediately following the first floods, BASF Pakistan and its employees began relief actions with an initial donation of €40,000. Individual BASF employees also supported the company's internal flood-relief committee, generously donating food, medicines and utensils for the relief packets prepared for distribution. BASF established distribution points around company sites in Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad and Sialkot, where relief packets containing basic food items, clothes and bed sheets, clean drinking water and medicinal aid to combat water-borne diseases are being distributed. Around 1000 relief packets offering emergency aid to the flood-hit villages and families in the interiors of Punjab and Sindh were dispatched via road.

About BASF

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF creates chemistry to help its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than €50 billion in 2009 and had approximately 105,000employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

Europe:

Sabrina van der Pütten

Phone:   +49 621 60-52711

Fax:       +49 621 60-92693

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Asia Pacific:

Genevieve Hilton

Phone:   +852 2731 0197

Mobile :   +852 9025 9857

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Pakistan :

Shahana Kaukab

Phone:  + 92 21 111 550 550

Mobile :  +92 300 2025 449

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BASF will invest in a dispersions plant in Daya Bay Petrochemical Industrial Park in Huizhou, China. With an annual capacity of 100,000 tons, the new plant will produce XSB dispersions for the paper industry and acrylic dispersions for industries such as coatings, construction, printing & packaging and adhesives . The facility will benefit from local availability of raw materials and proximity to key customers who serve Asia’s fastest-growing consumer markets. Production is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2012, subject to government approval. The investment is part of BASF’s growth strategy for Asia Pacific, which has the goal of doubling sales by 2020.

“This is an important step for BASF in Asia, following the establishment of our Paper Chemicals division in 2009. The investment strengthens BASF’s commitment to the paper and board industry, with South China offering one of the fastest-growing markets in the region. With this facility, we are well positioned to support our customers’ aspirations for growth and success in the South,” said EngSoo Chew, Senior Vice President, Paper Chemicals Asia Pacific.

“With our upstream monomer integration in China, world-scale dispersion plants exceeding half a million tons in capacity and unique process for manufacturing low-VOC dispersions, we are well positioned to support our customers’ strong growth with a reliable supply of water-based acrylic dispersions in the region,” said Gops Pillay, Senior Vice President, Dispersions & Pigments Asia Pacific.

The investment reflects BASF’s focus on participating in the strong growth of markets in emerging Asia. The additional capacity will strengthen and complement its regional production network for XSB and acrylic dispersions, which currently includes plants in East China, Indonesia and India. XSB dispersions are used as coating binders for paper, while acrylic dispersions are used in paints and coatings, printing and packaging, construction materials and adhesives.

About BASF’s Dispersions and Pigments Division

BASF is the leading global supplier of raw materials for the coating and paint industry. The new division Dispersions & Pigments combines all BASF offerings towards this industry. The portfolio encompasses pigments, resins, dispersions and a broad range of additives like light stabilizers and photoinitiators. Further end-use industries include construction materials, adhesives, printing and packaging. Our portfolio is focused on environmentally friendly systems, such as low-VOC water-based coatings.

About BASF’s Paper Chemicals division

BASF’s Paper Chemicals division offers process chemicals to optimize costs and increase machine efficiency, functional chemicals to lend specific properties to paper and finishing chemicals to improve the appearance and performance characteristics of printed paper and board. With this comprehensive portfolio, BASF is the leading supplier of paper chemicals worldwide.

BASF established Paper Chemicals as a separate division when it acquired Ciba in April 2009. The ISO 9001:2000-certified Paper Chemicals division operates sites in Europe, Asia and the Americas. For more information, go to http://www.paper-chemicals.basf.com.

BASF SE has fixed the causes for the Force Majeure for its iso-Nonanol- (INA) based plasticizers produced in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and can hence declare the termination of Force Majeure.

The Force Majeure was originally announced on July 21, 2010, due to a shortage of raw materials to produce the plasticizers Plastomoll® DNA, Palatinol® N, Hexamoll® DINCH and selected Palamoll® grades (652, 654, 656, 858) caused by an unforeseeable technical defect in the INA plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

About BASF

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF creates chemistry to help its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than €50 billion in 2009 and had approximately 105,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com 

The Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE announced the following changes in its organization and management team.

In order to prepare for the integration of Cognis, BASF will establish a new division. Effective August 1, 2010, BASF’s Care Chemicals division will be split into two separate divisions:

The Nutrition & Health division, to be established on August 1, will incorporate the Nutrition Ingredients and Aroma Chemicals businesses, as well as Pharma Ingredients & Services. Walter Dissinger (47) currently Senior Vice President, Crop Protection Latin America (Mexico, Middle America, South America), BASF S.A., Sao Paulo, Bazil will become President of the newly established division.

The Personal Care, Hygiene, Home Care and Industrial Formulators businesses will form the Care Chemicals division, headed by Gabriel Tanbourgi (54), President of the current Care Chemicals division.

Both divisions will be part of the Performance Products segment.

Other changes announced:

Beate Ehle (46), currently President of BASF’s Intermediates division located in Ludwigshafen, Germany, will become President for the regional division Market & Business Development North America located in Florham Park, New Jersey. The current President, Joseph C. Breunig will leave the company effective August 31, 2010.

Sanjeev Gulab Gandhi (43), Senior Vice President, Petrochemicals Asia Pacific, at BASF South East Asia located in Singapore will succeed Ms Ehle as President of the Intermediates division.

In a further improving business environment, BASF has achieved a leap in earnings. The recent portfolio measures are paying off and the earnings strength of the chemicals business has improved sustainably. And BASF is continuing to actively shape its business further and is laying the foundation for future growth.

At a conference call to present BASF’s figures for the first half and second quarter of 2010, Dr. Jürgen Hambrecht, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors stated: “Our strategy is clear: We are focusing on businesses that are closer to customers and on growth markets. The capital markets acknowledge our achievements: BASF share prices rose 7.8% in the first half of 2010, outperforming the DAX 30, DJ EURO STOXX 50 and all chemical industry indices.”

Following the upturn in business performance in the first three months of 2010, BASF continued to gain momentum in the second quarter. Sales rose 30% compared with the previous year to €16.2 billion. Second-quarter income from operations (EBIT) before special items rose 94% to €2.2 billion.

Sales in the first six months increased 28% to €31.7 billion and EBIT before special items rose 96% to €4.2 billion. Both sales and EBIT before special items were also above the good level of the first quarter of 2010. These developments were especially due to very high demand in the chemicals businesses, that is, in the Chemicals, Plastics, Functional Solutions und Performance Products segments. This was augmented by inventory restocking along the value chain.

Outlook for the full year 2010

The full-year estimates are based on the following expectations for the global economy:

• Growth of gross domestic product: 3 - 4%
• Growth in industrial production: 7 - 8%
• Growth in chemical production (excluding pharma): 7 - 8%
• An average dollar-euro exchange rate of $1.30 per euro
• An average annual oil price of $75 per barrel

Hambrecht said: “We expect our sales to grow in 2010 and outpace global chemical production. We anticipate that EBIT before special items will improve considerably and we will again earn a premium on our cost of capital. According to our dividend policy, we expect a higher dividend for 2010.”

BASF’s Chairman expects that economic recovery will continue at a moderate pace in the second half of 2010. The necessary consolidation of government budgets around the world will dampen demand, as will the winding down of national stimulus programs. Other risks are primarily associated with volatile raw materials markets, excess capacities, growing geopolitical tensions and protectionism.

All segments help to boost earnings

Thanks to high demand, second-quarter sales in the Chemicals segment grew by 64% compared with the second quarter of 2009, which was weak due to the economic crisis. EBIT before special items was €429 million higher than the previous year’s figure (plus 166%). Despite the negative impact of the scheduled maintenance shutdown of the Nanjing Verbund site, earnings were up on first-quarter 2010 figures.

Sales in the Plastics segment were 48% higher in the second quarter compared with the weak level of the previous year. In addition to the good capacity utilization, the positive effects of restructuring measures are also reflected in the EBIT before special items. It increased by more than €211 million (plus 153%). Despite a number of scheduled maintenance shutdowns and short supply of polyamide 6,6, the earnings level of the first quarter were surpassed.

The Performance Products segment was able to significantly increase second-quarter sales by 29% year-on-year thanks to higher volumes and prices. There were delivery bottlenecks in some product lines due to the limited availability of important intermediates. EBIT before special items rose by €391 million (plus 489%). The strong earnings growth is attributable to the realization of synergies from the Ciba integration, the implementation of our business models and the favorable business environment. All divisions made a clearly positive contribution to EBIT before special items.

Sales in the Functional Solutions segment rose sharply in all regions in the second quarter, mainly due to stronger demand from the automotive industry, and increased 40% compared with the second quarter of 2009. EBIT before special items was up €117 million compared with the previous year (plus 244%). In addition to a more favorable business environment, successful restructuring measures contributed to this development.

Second-quarter 2010 sales in Agricultural Solutions were up 3% year-on-year. This was a result of favorable exchange rates and stronger volume sales in South America and Asia. EBIT before special items was €47 million below the previous year’s record high (minus 13%). This was due to lower prices and targeted increases in selling expenses and expenditures for research and development.

Sales in the Oil & Gas segment were 3% below the level for the second quarter of 2009. EBIT before special items rose by €9 million in the second quarter (plus 2%) due to volume increases in natural gas trading. Sales in Exploration & Production declined mainly because of OPEC production restrictions in Libya.

The segment Other posted significant sales growth of 32% in the second quarter of 2010. This was largely due to higher prices in the Styrenics business. Earnings improved in the Styrenics business. Provisions for the BASF Option Program reduced earnings because BASF shares significantly outperformed the benchmark index MSCI World Chemicals in the second quarter.

Sales and earnings increased in all regions

Sales by companies in Europe were 16% higher than in the same period of the previous year. EBIT before special items rose by €1.14 billion to €2.63 billion (plus 76%). Thanks to higher demand in the chemicals business, sales and earnings grew substantially compared with the weak first half of 2009. In the Oil & Gas segment, sales and earnings did not match the level of the first half of the previous year due to the decline in natural gas prices.

In North America, sales grew by 42% in U.S. dollars and 44% in euro terms. Earnings rose by €530 million to €792 million (plus 202%). Thanks to higher volumes, sales and earnings in the chemicals business increased sharply. Sales and earnings in the Agricultural Solutions segment were below the very good level of the previous year’s first half. This was partially due to lower sales volumes in our fungicides business as a result of higher inventories at distributors.

Sales in the Asia Pacific region rose by 55% in local currency terms, and by 60% in euro terms. Earnings grew by €357 million to €603 million (plus 145%), despite the scheduled maintenance shutdown of the Nanjing site. The dynamic economic upturn had a particularly positive effect on the chemicals business. In the Agricultural Solutions segment, sales and earnings were higher then the same period of the previous year.

In South America, Africa, Middle East sales were up year-on-year by 21% in local-currency terms and by 33% in euro. The successful Agricultural Solutions business in South America made an important contribution to this sales growth. Earnings in the region were 6% higher then in the first half of 2009.

About BASF

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF creates chemistry to help its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than €50 billion in 2009 and had approximately 105,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

Due to a shortage of raw materials caused by an unforeseeable technical defect in its iso-Nonanol (INA) plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany, BASF SEis currently unable to produce the plasticizers Plastomoll^® DNA, Palatinol^® N,  Hexamoll^® DINCH and selected Palamoll^® grades (652, 654, 656 and 858). Therefore BASF is forced to declare a Force Majeure situation.

The INA plant is currently shut down to do the necessary repair work. To the current best knowledge BASF is expecting to restart production of INA in Ludwigshafen within the next 14 days.

About BASF

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF creates chemistry to help its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than €50 billion in 2009 and had approximately 105,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com

BASF has announced the merger of its Swiss group companies BASF Orgamol Pharma Solutions SA, Evionnaz, and BASF Fine Chemicals Switzerland SA, Evionnaz, to a single organization. The company arising from the merger is called BASF Pharma (Evionnaz) SA and is based in Evionnaz, Switzerland.

President of the new organization is Martin Widmann, General Manager of the former BASF Fine Chemicals Switzerland SA and head of the BASF Pharma Ingredients & Services Business Unit. "The merger reduces complexity at our site and simplifies processes," Widmann said. "The two companies have been working closely together with success for many years." Managing Director of BASF Pharma (Evionnaz) SA will be Dr. Folker Ruchatz, former head of BASF Orgamol Pharma Solutions SA.

BASF Orgamol Pharma Solutions SA in Evionnaz, Switzerland and its sister company, BASF Orgamol Pharma Solutions France SAS in Saint-Vulbas, France, were uniformly renamed "BASF Pharma" at the end of April 2010. "The renaming of both companies is part of our strategy of becoming more customer-centric as a supplier and partner to the pharmaceutical industry," Widmann stated. "It shows our clear commitment to the pharmaceutical industry and enhances our market visibility."

The merger has no effect on existing contracts with employees, suppliers and customers, which will be transferred unchanged to BASF Pharma (Evionnaz) SA. Nor will there be any change in the number of employees.

The Evionnaz site has a more than 50-year history of producing customized active substances and advanced intermediates exclusively and in complete confidence for pharmaceutical companies. The BASF experts provide services covering the entire pharmaceutical lifecycle, from kilogram-scale production to commercial manufacture and from early-stage clinical development to original product launch and subsequent generic drug status.

About BASF’s business unit Pharma Ingredients & Services

BASF produces and markets a broad range of active ingredients and excipients, as well as exclusive synthesis services for the pharmaceutical industry. These products are made using the latest technologies, to the highest quality standards and in compliance with cGMP guidelines. Further information can be found at www.pharma-ingredients.basf.com .

About BASF

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals and oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF creates chemistry to help its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than €50 billion in 2009 and had approximately 105,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

BASF and U.S. research institute RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina/USA, are joining forces to develop a new, exceptionally cost-effective technology to capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) from waste gases emitted by coal-fired power plants and other industrial sources. The development project is sponsored by a two million dollar cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The award is part of the DOE’s stimulus-funded initiative focusing on energy-related research projects.

Efficient solvents are essential for the CO₂-capture. The two partners will work on novel non-aqueous solvent systems that can be recycled. The capture process could use 40 percent less energy than conventional amine-based processes. Coal-fired power plants produce 50 percent of the electricity generated in the United States and contribute about 36 percent of all the carbon dioxide emissions in that region or 1.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually.

“This new process for capturing carbon dioxide would keep the United States at the forefront of advanced energy and greenhouse gas control technologies,” said Dave Myers, vice president of the Engineering and Technology Unit at RTI. “Working with BASF, a global leader for gas treatment technologies, will also provide a path for rapid commercialization of the technology so that we can have cost-competitive clean energy production from coal-fired power plants.”

“Coupling RTI’s engineering and research capabilities with BASF’s gas treatment's technical and commercial know-how, will provide the right  synergies to develop a highly effective new technology for the industrial carbon capture”, said Todd Spengemann, Business Manager, Americas Gas Treatment Solutions within BASF’s intermediates division.

BASF is one of the world’s most successful suppliers of gas treatment technology. Around the globe, some 200 ammonia, natural gas, syngas and liquefied petroleum gas facilities use BASF processes and products for gas sweetening, i.e. to remove acid gases like hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and CO₂. The company sells these technologies under the aMDEA^® brand, which is short for “activated methyldiethanolamine.” BASF has been cooperating with RWE Power and Linde since 2007 to develop a process for capturing CO₂ from flue gases emitted by coal-fired power plants.

About RTI International

RTI International is one of the world's leading research institutes, dedicated to improving the human condition by turning knowledge into practice. With a staff of more than 2,800, RTI provides research and technical expertise to governments and businesses in more than 40 countries in the areas of health and pharmaceuticals, education and training, surveys and statistics, advanced technology, international development, economic and social policy, energy and the environment, and laboratory and chemistry services.

The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) and BASF received a 2010 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award at a ceremony held at the Ronald Reagan Center in Washington, D.C. The two companies were honored for their jointly developed hydrogen peroxide to propylene oxide (HPPO) technology that vastly improves the production process of a key chemical intermediate, propylene oxide. Propylene oxide from the HPPO process can be used in a variety of applications from home insulation, appliances, automobiles and furniture to aircraft de-icers, paints, brake fluids and pharmaceuticals.

The award has been presented on behalf of the White House by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency annually since 1996. It recognizes breakthrough technologies that transfer sustainability principles from the research lab into the real world to enable environmentally responsible and economically viable routes to commercial chemical manufacturing. It is the seventh Presidential Green Chemistry award for Dow and the fourth for BASF.

“The EPA’s recognition is a testimony to the power of innovation and collaboration that came together in this project,” said Guillermo Novo, Dow’s Vice President for Polyurethanes. “It will require more new technologies and partnering like this between companies, governments, NGOs and communities to secure our sustainable future.”

“We are proud to have such an outstanding example of joint research and development,” said Jacques Delmoitiez, President of BASF’s Polyurethanes division. “This state-of-the-art technology combines economic success with improved environmental performance and has set the standards for future projects.”

The Dow-BASF innovation offers distinct economic and environmental benefits when compared to conventional propylene oxide (PO) process technologies. A joint study conducted by the two companies in 2007 using BASF’s Eco-Efficiency Analysis tool revealed the new HPPO process reduces wastewater by 70 to 80 percent and energy use by approximately 35 percent, compared with existing PO technology. HPPO technology is also more environmentally friendly because no by-products are produced besides water. In addition, PO plants using the HPPO technology require up to 25 percent less capital to build than conventional technologies, as they have reduced infrastructure, a smaller physical footprint and simpler raw materials integration. The two companies successfully started up the first commercial-scale HPPO production plant in 2008 at BASF’s Antwerp, Belgium, facility. SCG-Dow Group is building a second plant based on this technology which is scheduled to begin production in Map Ta Phut, Thailand, in 2011.