BASF's Zhanjiang Integrated Site Reaches Major Milestone: Butyl Acrylate Production Commences Ahead of Schedule, Steam Cracker Completes Mechanical Completion

BASF announced key progress in the construction and operation of its large-scale integrated site in Zhanjiang, Guangdong. The butyl acrylate (BA) unit within the site successfully commenced production ahead of schedule, while the core steam cracker and its downstream chemical facilities have achieved mechanical completion. These achievements lay a solid foundation for the site's scheduled full production start-up by the end of 2025.

The butyl acrylate unit successfully commenced production on August 11, 2025, significantly ahead of schedule, and has set an industry benchmark with its outstanding safety performance. The unit has a designed annual production capacity of approximately 400,000 tons, and the first batch of product was delivered by tanker on August 17, marking the smooth start-up of production and supply chain systems. The release of this additional capacity will further consolidate BASF's leading position in the global market for acrylic acid and its derivatives, providing stable and high-quality raw materials for downstream industries such as adhesives, industrial coatings, and architectural coatings.

At the same time, mechanical completion of the steam cracker and its associated downstream units was successfully completed, encompassing key production units such as ethylene oxide, oxo alcohols, syngas, and high-density polyethylene. This completion signifies that all system installation, connection, and preliminary testing have met specifications, officially transitioning the project from the construction phase to the commissioning and trial run preparation phase.

The Zhanjiang Integrated Site, planned to construct a steam cracker with an annual production capacity of 1 million tons of ethylene, is one of the largest and most highly integrated overseas single projects within BASF's global investment portfolio. High levels of material and energy recycling are achieved across the site's production units. Through system integration and resource optimization, operational efficiency, energy utilization, and environmental performance have been significantly improved. The continued progress of this project is expected to significantly enhance BASF's production capacity, supply chain resilience, and market responsiveness in the Asia Pacific region.

Bill Dabbar Mehta, Senior Vice President, Petrochemicals, Asia Pacific, BASF, stated that the latest progress at the Zhanjiang Integrated Site is of great strategic significance. This world-class integrated chemical site will significantly enhance the company’s production flexibility and supply stability, enabling BASF to offer customers a wide range of high-quality solutions with greater efficiency and a more competitive cost structure, thereby better meeting the needs of the rapidly growing regional market and helping customers achieve greater success.