In response to growing customer demand for methane sulfonic acid (MSA), BASF says it has invested a higher double-digit million euro amount to expand production capacities at its Verbund site in Ludwigshafen. Global demand for MSA has increased steadily over the past years, according to BASF, fueled by a growing interest in environmentally optimized products and formulations. The investment reportedly increases capacity at the Ludwigshafen site to a total of 50,000 metric tons per year.
“With this investment, we are helping our global customer base to formulate environmentally optimized high-performance products. In doing so, we are supporting our customers’ growth in this dynamic market as a reliable supplier,” says Soeren Hildebrandt, senior vice president, home care, I&I and industrial formulators Europe.
Methane sulfonic acid – sold under the Lutropur MSA brand – is a highly active organic acid with a unique combination of properties that sets it apart from all other acids: MSA is a strong acid that forms highly soluble salts as well as being colorless, odorless and readily biodegradable, according to BASF. Because of its excellent properties, methane sulfonic acid is used in numerous applications ranging from chemical and biofuel synthesis to industrial cleaning and metal surface treatment in the electronics industry.
For more information, visit: www.care-chemicals.basf.com
