BASF Inaugurates New Plant for Alkyl Ethanolamines at its Antwerp Verbund site

BASF inaugurated a new world-scale manufacturing line for alkyl ethanolamines at its Verbund facility near Antwerp, Belgium. This new investment would boost the company's worldwide annual production capacity for alkyl ethanolamines, including dimethyl ethanolamine (DMEOA) and methyl diethanolamine (MDEOA), by about 30% to over 140,000 tons per year. The new factory is an essential element of BASF's manufacturing network for this portfolio, which includes locations in Ludwigshafen, Germany; Antwerp, Belgium; Geismar, Louisiana; and Nanjing, China.

“This investment demonstrates our vision to be the preferred partner for sustainable intermediates and our strong commitment to remain a key supplier of alkyl ethanolamines.” says Ketan Joshi, President of BASF’s operating division Intermediates. “With this new investment, we are expanding our global production network. Based on our Verbund integration and competitive technology we want to enable our customers to grow sustainably.”

The versatile alkyl ethanolamines are mostly utilized as precursors for gas treatment chemicals, as flocculants in water treatment, and as pigment and resin binders in the coatings industry. Other uses include fabric softeners, metalworking fluid additives, and polyurethanes.

With roughly 300 distinct amines, BASF boasts the world's most diversified offering of chemical intermediates. Along with alkyl-, alkanol-, and alkoxyalkylamines, the firm provides heterocyclic, aromatic, and specialty amines. BASF's portfolio also contains a growing number of chiral amines, which are renowned for their exceptional optical and chemical purity. The adaptable products are mostly utilized to produce process chemicals, medicines, crop protection goods, cosmetics, and detergents. They are also used to create coatings, specific polymers, composites, and specialty fibers.

Source: BASF