BASF to increase capacity for plastic additives in Europe

Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik (BASF) will increase production capacity for its hindered amine light stabilisers (HALS) at sites located in Pontecchio Marconi, Italy, and Lampertheim, Germany.

As part of a multi-step investment plan, BASF aims to support the growing demand for light stabilisers used in durable plastics applications and provide enhanced security of supply to global customers.

‘We see a growing demand for sustainable materials used in applications like automobiles, construction materials and greenhouses, to tackle the global challenges of today and the future. As a globally leading manufacturer and supplier of light stabilizers, we are expanding our production footprint to be able to meet the growing demand of our customers,’ says Dr Achim Sties, Senior Vice President, Performance Chemicals Europe, BASF. ‘The complementing infrastructure investment will also help to increase the resilience and efficiency of our operations. We are committed to remain the trusted and reliable partner to our customers.’

The growing scrutiny on the use and disposal of plastics is driving the industry to focus on more sustainable solutions. Enabling plastic materials in use for as long as possible in specific applications will minimise waste. The integrity and durability of plastic materials can be adversely affected by exposure to sun and artificial light, which leads to a breakdown of the chemical bonds in a polymer. Photodegradation leads to cracking, chalking, and a weakening of physical properties such as impact resistance and tensile strength.

BASF says their HALS Tinuvin, Chimassorb, and Uvinul play a key role in protecting polymers from UV radiation and are effective inhibitors of free-radical induced degradation. This characteristic helps to extend product lifetimes.