Welcome to E-News Update from Plastics & Rubber Asia

June 2011

LEAD FEATURE

BASF banking on engineering resins in Asia

COMPANY NEWS

Graham to be bought by Reynolds

BASF adding more compounding capacity in Europe

Clariant expects higher sales

China's coatings market benefits from white pigment

Styrolution born out of styrenics

More PET in the global market

BMS on track with R&D centre in China

MATERIALS NEWS

Carbon fibres not out of steam yet

PP the subject of a carbon footprint study

MACHINERY NEWS

Large diameter pipe machinery to Norway

European machinery associations heave a sigh of relief

EXHIBITION NEWS

Asia to lead composites growth

INJECTION MOULDING ASIA

New resin improves productivity for medical devices

Automotive vanes take to PEEK

Resin targets thinwall packaging

Moulds enhanced for thinwall moulding

RUBBER JOURNAL ASIA

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BASF adding more compounding capacity in Europe

nticipating a growth of 5% a year in Europe, German chemical company BASF will expand compounding capacity by 10,000 tonnes for its engineering plastics Ultramid and Ultradur at its Schwarzheide site. It is also expanding capacities in Asia (see Lead Story).

The company says this is a first step within the scope of the capacity expansions that are planned in view of the sharp rise in demand in Europe.

Already in the first quarter of 2011, BASF announced that it would be doubling its compounding capacities for engineering plastics in China and Korea.

"Engineering plastics in Europe came out of the economic crisis more quickly than we and our customers had expected back in early 2010. In comparison to the crisis year of 2009, demand rose by more than 30% in 2010. For 2011 as well, we are counting on double-digit growth. Consequently, the consumption will already have returned to the pre-crisis level in 2011," explains Dr Willy Hoven-Nievelstein, Head of Engineering Plastics Europe.