BASF to build new formic acid plant in the USA
BASF announced its plans to build a world scale production plant for formic acid at its integrated “Verbund” site in Geismar, Louisiana. The new plant will create 20 new jobs and have an annual capacity of more than 50,000 tons. It will be the only formic acid production plant in North America and will allow BASF to better serve strategic markets in North and South America including applications for pharmaceuticals, energy, animal nutrition, leather and cleaning products. Start-up of the new plant is expected in the 2ndquarter 2014. BASF currently operates two formic acid production plants located at the company’s integrated Verbund sites in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and Nanjing, China, with a total annual capacity of more than 255,000 tons.
“The new plant further strengthens our position as a leading supplier of chemistry for sustainable solutions”, said Dr. Hans Engel, Member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE, Chief Financial Officer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BASF Corporation, made the announcement during a press conference at BASF’s new regional headquarters building in Florham Park, N.J.
“This investment demonstrates our commitment to the increasing market demand in North and South America driven by current and new applications of the versatile formic acid. We will be able to serve our customers better with shorter lead times and greater supply reliability. It also reinforces BASF’s global leading position in formic acid with production in Europe, North America and Asia”, said Soeren Hildebrandt, Senior Vice President of BASF’s Intermediates division.
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