BASF builds speciality amines plant in Nanjing

BASF has announced it will build a world scale production plant to manufacture speciality amines at its existing wholly-owned site in the Nanjing Chemical Industry Park in China.
The plant, which is scheduled to come on stream in late 2015, will have dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA) and polyetheramines (PEA) as the main products and complements existing facilities in Germany and the USA for DMAPA and PEA.
"The investment is driven by the increasing consumption of personal care products by the growing middle class in China and in Asia,” said Dr Guido Voit, Senior VP, BASF Intermediates, Asia Pacific.
"Additionally, the development in the construction, wind energy and coatings industries in China and other emerging countries in Asia will continue to drive demand for PEA.”
PEA is an intermediate chemical for epoxy curing agents used in the production of plastics, polyurea coatings, adhesives, reaction injection moulding and wind blade composites. BASF offers polyetheramines under its Baxxodur brand. DMAPA is mainly consumed in the production of betaines, which are used as co-surfactants in personal care products like shampoo and body wash.
BASF has manufacturing capacities for both DMAPA and PEA at its sites in Ludwigshafen, Germany and in Geismar, Louisiana, USA.