BASF expands capacity for Ultramid B polyamide 6 film product at its plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany, by 21,000 tonnes/year, citing growing demand from flexible film food packaging producers

Andrew Rogers

LUDWIGSHAFEN, Germany , December 20, 2012 (press release) – BASF increased its capacity for Ultramid® B (polyamide 6) film product materials at its Ludwigshafen Verbund site by 21,000 metric tons per year in December 2012.

"This capacity increase reflects our customers' growing demand for sophisticated polymer applications in the area of flexible film food packaging" explains Hermann Althoff, head of the Polyamide and Intermediates global business unit at BASF. "With this new capacity for high-end polyamides we are able to support the application innovations and film production efficiency of our customers even better".

High performance Ultramid® B products for the film and monofilament industry

With more than 60 years of experience, BASF is the world's leading supplier of high quality polyamide and polyamide intermediates for the film and monofilament industry. The line of products include Ultramid® B (polyamide 6), Ultramid® C (polyamide 6/6.6 copolymer) and Ultramid® A (polyamide 6.6). The Ultramid® film and monofilament products are optimized for high performance in a wide variety of applications through polymer modifications and additivation. Due to their outstanding barrier properties against oxygen, oil, aromas and other substances at high puncture resistance, BASF products have become indispensable for the production of flexible food packaging and technical films. Part of the Ultramid® product range is also optimized for the efficient production of monofilaments such as industrial wires, fishing lines, tennis racket strings, weed trimmer lines and bristles. The product offerings are supplemented by technical services for our customers.

Verbund - cost effective production worldwide

BASF operates Ultramid® B (polyamide 6) polymerization plants in Ludwigshafen (Germany), Antwerp (Belgium), Freeport (USA) and Sao Paulo (Brazil). The production of polyamide 6 for film, textile and carpet fiber as well as for engineering plastics applications is integrated into BASF's global Verbund structure with polyamide intermediates (i.e. adipic acid, anolon, caprolactam), chemical raw materials (i.e. ammonia, cyclohexane, sulfuric acid), energy, by-product recovery, logistics and other services.

About BASF
BASF is the world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success, social responsibility and environmental protection. Through science and innovation we enable our customers in almost all industries to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and system solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring healthy food and nutrition and helping to improve the quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF posted sales of about €73.5 billion in 2011 and had more than 111,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

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