BASF opens Bt200m plant
German chemical giant BASF has opened a polyurethane system house here for its industrial clients, including those in the automotive, appliance and construction sectors.
It has spent more than Bt200 million to build the unit, located in Tambon Bang Pu of Samut Prakan province and its seventh such facility in Asia. It has an annual capacity of 10,000 tonnes."It will form an important pillar in our network of system houses in the Asia-Pacific, allowing shorter turn-round time for customers in Thailand," said Chew Eng Soo, group vice president of BASF Polyurethanes Asia-Pacific. Board of Investment secretary-general Satit Chanjavanakul presided over the opening of the facility. The system house is equipped with the latest facilities, including technical service labs. The end products include refrigerators and car seats. BASF (Thailand) managing director Pracha Chivapornthip noted that Thailand was the key supplier for chemical raw materials in the region, since it was the Asean manufacturing hub for appliances and the auto industry, accounting for 15 per cent of sales throughout Asean. BASF operates more than 30 polyurethane system houses globally. In Asia, it has such facilities in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan and China. It plans to open a new regional research and development centre in Shanghai in the second half of the year.
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