Aerial view of BASF site in Huntsville, Alabama
BASF completes an investment to expand production of its mobile emissions catalysts manufacturing site in Huntsville, Alabama. The Huntsville site expansion began 18 months ago and reportedly created ten additional jobs.BASF held a press briefing to announce the completion of the expansion and to recognize and celebrate a first-ever manufacturing milestone for the site: the production of the 400 millionth automotive catalytic converter. Elected officials, members of the Department of Commerce and a key customer of BASF’s Catalysts division attended.
The journey to 400 million catalysts began in 1973 when the automotive catalytic converter was first developed. The first catalytic converter was mass produced and featured in a 1975 automobile, and since its inception has eliminated more than 95% of harmful emissions from gasoline-engine exhaust, according to BASF. There are currently more than half a billion cars and nearly 200 million trucks on the road worldwide, and the automotive catalyst is reportedly incorporated into nearly every vehicle.
The Huntsville facility also celebrated a milestone in sustainability by reducing production waste and achieving a Virtually Zero Waste Facility certification, according to BASF. To qualify for the manufacturing achievement, facilities must meet a strict set of criteria; one of the most notable guidelines is full transparency about the amount of waste diverted from landfills and sent for incineration with energy recovery. The Virtually Zero Waste Facility certification was created by the world’s largest safety certification company, UL (Underwriters Laboratories), and is awarded to facilities that responsibly reduce waste.
For more information, visit: www.basf.com