BASF has completed construction on the first phase of plants in its acrylics complex in Zhanjiang, China, the company said July 21.
The completed facilities include the glacial acrylic acid and butyl acrylate plants.
The milestone puts the company on track for the site’s scheduled start-up this year.
Acrylic acid is a key precursor for the production of superabsorbent polymers.
Butyl acrylate, an ester of acrylic acid, is widely used in the production of adhesives, architectural coatings and industrial coatings.
The acrylics complex at the Zhanjiang Verbund site will have an annual production capacity of approximately 400,000 metric tons of butyl acrylate.
The facilities will help the company meet fast-growing demand for acrylics in China and across Asia on shorter lead times, said Bir Darbar Mehta, senior vice president of petrochemicals for BASF’s Asia Pacific region.
“The acrylics business has been a cornerstone of BASF petrochemicals,” Mehta said. “With the completion of the new acrylics complex in Zhanjiang, we are further enhancing our production capacities along the acrylics value chain.”
