BASF builds new plant for Citral
BASF is building a new production plant for the fine chemical intermediate Citral with an annual capacity of 40,000 metric tons. The plant is scheduled to come on stream in 2004. The world-scale plant will replace the existing Citral plant, which has a capacity of 10,000 metric tons per year. The capacity expansion will make Citral the production platform for Vitamin A and vitamin E, carotenoids and an expanded range of aroma chemicals.
The expansion of Citral production in Ludwigshafen is an important element in the ?600 million investment program launched by BASF to expand its market position in fine chemicals in order to generate profitable growth in this business.
Through this investment program capacity expansion for vitamine E to 20,000 metric tons per year in Ludwigshafen and the construction of a plant for producing an annual 3,000 metric tons of vitamin B2 in Gunsan, Korea, have begun.
The Citral synthesis is integrated backwards to the steam cracker within the Verbund at the Ludwigshafen site of BASF. The current production process was developed by BASF. The plant and the subsequent production stages for vitamin and aroma chemical production will use numerous, innovative processes and catalyst systems developed by BASF researchers in recent years.
"The larger Citral plant fits perfectly into the Verbund system at our Ludwigshafen site and will significantly enhance our competitiveness in vitamin A, vitamin E and aroma chemicals" says Dr. Christian Dudeck, head of the Fine Chemicals division.
The investment project reflects the company's response to the increasing demand for high-quality products in animal nutrition, food production and innovative cosmetics. The world vitamin market is valued at ?2.5 billion. BASF has a 25 percent share of the global market. Alongside vitamins, the aroma chemicals business will also benefit from the investment. Citral will increasingly be used in the future as a raw material for a series of aroma chemicals used by the fragrance and flavor industry in the manufacture of perfume oils and flavorings. BASF wants to further improve its good market position in this segment by expanding the production of Citral and its derivatives.
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Topic world Synthesis
Chemical synthesis is at the heart of modern chemistry and enables the targeted production of molecules with specific properties. By combining starting materials in defined reaction conditions, chemists can create a wide range of compounds, from simple molecules to complex active ingredients.
Topic world Synthesis
Chemical synthesis is at the heart of modern chemistry and enables the targeted production of molecules with specific properties. By combining starting materials in defined reaction conditions, chemists can create a wide range of compounds, from simple molecules to complex active ingredients.