+ Project secures BASF’s position as the low-cost TDI producer.

+ 80,000 metric tons TDI plant in Schwarzheide planned to be closed

Total investment including the required infrastructure at Ludwigshafen site will be about €1 billion and create around 200 additional jobs. Production will start at the end of 2014. BASF plans to close down its 80,000 metric tons per year TDI production plant in Schwarzheide, Germany, when the new plant goes on stream. TDI is a key component mainly used for flexible polyurethane foams.   “This project will position us as the low-cost TDI producer in Europe due to economies of scale and the highly efficient integration into our Verbund,” said Wayne T. Smith, President of BASF’s Polyurethanes division. “Building our new TDI plant at our largest Verbund site in Ludwigshafen gives us the advantage of the excellent production synergies, raw material integration and logistics. Together with our existing TDI sites in Asia and North America we will be able to optimally serve customers in all major markets."   “We are constantly developing the Ludwigshafen site further to remain competitive internationally. In addition to such important investments in production, this involves modernization and targeted development of the whole infrastructure,” said Dr. Bernhard Nick, Site Manager of the BASF Ludwigshafen Verbund site. “The new TDI plant and the related facilities strengthen the competitiveness of BASF’s largest Verbund site.”