BASF enters the market for solid AH salt

* Providing polyamide 6.6 intermediate for the Asian market
* Capacity for 24,000 tons of solid AH salt per year
* Strengthening the Verbund structure for polyamide 6.6 at Ludwigshafen site (Germany)



BASF has started up a facility to produce solid AH salt in Ludwigshafen with a capacity of 24,000 metric tons per year. In contrast to the existing 62% AH salt solution, with solid AH salt, BASF is especially targeting long distance markets which cannot be served economically with an aqueous solution. AH salt is an intermediate for the production of polyamide 6.6.



“Customers around the world, especially in Asia, have expressed a strong interest in importing crystallized AH salt“, said Hermann Althoff, Senior Vice President Global Business Unit Polyamide and Intermediates. “T he additional offering, with its new logistics options can operate very efficiently and flexibly within the polyamide 6.6 Verbund structure at our site in Ludwigshafen, Germany.



Cost effective “Verbund” structure for polyamide 6.6 in Ludwigshafen



BASF produces polyamide 6.6 at the Ludwigshafen site within a highly efficient production structure which includes facilities for the production of polyamide 6.6 polymer, adipic acid as well as facilities for relevant chemical raw materials (nitric acid, cyclohexane), energy, byproduct recovery, logistics and other services. The intermediate hexamethylene diamine (HMD) is produced by a BASF plant at the Seal Sands (Great Britain) site, operated by INEOS.



Polyamide 6.6 is used for engineering plastics and fibers. Therefore, applications include a wide range of products from light-weight automotive components for cars to carpets and textiles.



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.