BASF opens new automotive coatings plant in Shanghai
BASF’s Coatings division has inaugurated a new, world-scale automotive coatings plant at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park in Caojing, Shanghai, China.
The EUR140 million project is an extension of the existing automotive coatings plant, a joint venture between BASF and Shanghai Huayi Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.
Serving the China automotive market
In 2016, 48.6 million light vehicle units were produced in the Asia Pacific region, accounting for 52% of global production. “The global automotive market is expected to continue to grow significantly, with China as the biggest driver,” said Dirk Bremm, President of BASF’s Coatings division. “The inauguration of this new plant will help us to take an active role in developing the Chinese automotive market”.
Transition to waterborne coatings
The new production site is built to serve the China automotive manufacturing market, and will meet developing industry needs. These include the transition from solventborne to waterborne coatings and from standard primer processes to integrated processes. It will produce thinners, primers, clearcoats and waterborne basecoats. It will be supported by a new automotive application center at the BASF Innovation Campus Asia Pacific (Shanghai), by end of 2018.
