BASF Base Production Expansion Enters Final Stage​!​

BASF is currently advancing the final stages of a project to expand its methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) plant at its Verbund integrated site in Geismar, Louisiana. Through the third phase of the multi-stage capacity expansion, BASF will increase its MDI capacity to 600,000 tonnes/year around 2025 and support the continued growth of its North American MDI customers. BASF started the expansion project in 2018 with three investment phases. From 2022 to 2025, the investment in the final expansion phase will amount to $780 million.

Michael Heinz, Chairman and CEO of BASF, said: "This investment underscores our commitment to North America and strengthens BASF's reliability of supply and the competitiveness of our customers' value chains in the region. As BASF's Verbund integrated base For one, the Geismar site is ideally suited to expand our MDI production thanks to its existing infrastructure, reliable supply of raw materials, skilled workforce and strong community support."

Utilizing state-of-the-art technology, the expansion will demonstrate the highest safety standards and incorporate advanced digitalization in its operations. BASF is currently entering the final phase of the expansion, which is planned to be completed by the end of 2025.

Ramkumar Dhruva, President of BASF's Monomer Division, said: "BASF is committed to developing and cooperating with our North American MDI customers, whether in the construction and appliance, transportation, automotive, footwear or furniture industries. With this complex, we will continue to support Our North American MDI customers, by increasing our production capacity to meet their needs."

The first phase of the expansion project involved the construction of a new MDI synthesis unit, which was commissioned in October 2020. The second phase, commissioned in 2021, is an expansion of the existing upstream unit. With the third and final phase of expansion, including several new upstream units and a fractionation unit, the total new MDI capacity at the Geismar complex will increase to 600,000 tonnes/year.