BASF increased capacities for alpha blue pigments in Ludwigshafen.
LUDWIGSHAFEN, GERMANY: BASF SE said that it is strengthening its global production network for pigments with two new investments
in Germany and China.
In Ludwigshafen, BASF is going to expand its capacities for the production of versatile alpha blue pigments, which are particularly characterized by their excellent fastness properties, by the fall of 2016. Also the company has increased its production capacities for high-performance diketopyrrolopyrrole pigments (DPP), at the Nanjing, China site.
At its Ludwigshafen site, the reddish copper phthalocyanine pigments which – in addition to other blue and green pigments that are based on the same chemistry, are sold by BASF under the Heliogen brand. In addition, alpha blue pigments stand out due to their versatile applicability that includes plastic colouring, printing applications as well as industrial and automotive coatings and paints.
The colour-intensive and extremely lightfast and weatherproof DPP pigments, which are marketed by BASF under the product name Irgazin, are – among other applications – used for automotive, industrial and powder coatings, paints and inks as well as for plastic applications.
By expanding its capacities in Nanjing, BASF has responded to the ever-increasing demand for high-performance pigments, particularly in Asia-Pacific.
“DPP pigments are a high-quality alternative to lead-chromate-based pigments that are increasingly being regulated all over the world. With these innovative products, we help our customers develop more sustainable solutions,” said Jeff Knight, senior VP, dispersions & pigments business unit, Asia-Pacific, BASF.
“Taking into account the latest trends in colour, we expect that customer demand for alpha blue pigments is going to continue to increase significantly,” said Dr Alexander Haunschild, senior VP, pigments & resins business unit, Europe, BASF.
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