BASF announced two portfolio moves in late September, including the planned closure of its hydrosulfites production facility in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and the completed sale of its food and health performance ingredients business to Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC).
The company said it will phase out the supply of hydrosulfite products used as reducing agents in textiles and as bleaching additives in pulp and paper. Approximately 65 employees will be supported in finding new roles within BASF. Ramkumar Dhruva, president of BASF’s Monomers division, said in a statement that the decision reflects the company’s focus on profitability and long-term value creation in a challenging economic environment.
Separately, BASF and LDC said they completed the sale of BASF’s food and health performance ingredients unit, which includes a production site in Illertissen, Germany, three application labs, and about 300 employees who transferred to LDC. Products involved include whipping agents, emulsifiers, fat powders, plant sterol esters, conjugated linoleic acid, and omega-3 oils.
Daniela Calleri, senior vice president Nutrition Ingredients at BASF, said the divestment allows the company to reinforce its focus on vitamins and carotenoids in its Nutrition & Health division. James Zhou, LDC’s chief commercial officer and head of Food & Feed Solutions, said the acquisition will expand the company’s role in the plant-based ingredients sector.
Financial details of the sale were not disclosed.
