LUDWIGSHAFEN, GERMANY: BASF will substantially expand the production plant for the insulation material Styrodur C at the Ludwigshafen site in Germany. This will increase the production capacity of the extruded polystyrene rigid foam panels (XPS) from the current 1.3 million metric tonne by an additional 220,000 metric tonne. The capacity increase is around 17 per cent. Operation will start at the end of 2011.
In the extended plant the new XPS types Styrodur Neo and Styrodur HT can be manufactured along with standard products.
“The Styrodur C business runs successfully, the demand for energy-efficient building insulation products rises continuously. By increasing our capacity we are aiming to establish our new XPS products and see increased use within the construction sector in the long run. We can ensure delivery of high-performance standard products, such as thick or high-density panels,” said Dr Giorgio Greening, Head of Global business unit, Foams, BASF.
The plant extension is incorporated into the existing production structure, but will have a more elaborate configuration and will operate using an optimized method. This will allow a well-directed setting of specific panel properties.
With Styrodur C, BASF is among the leading providers of XPS insulation in Europe. The European XPS market is currently growing by 3 to 5 per cent per annum, driven by rising energy prices and legal regulations on thermal insulation in new and old buildings.
© WOC News