Page 158 - CW E-Magazine (23-7-2024)

News from Abroad

RISING COMPETITION
BASF decides to stop making glufosinate-ammonium

in Germany

BASF is set to stop production of and profitability in the GA
agrochemical active ingredient, glu- market”.
fosinate-ammonium (GA), at its Knap-
sack and Frankfurt sites in Germany All jobs (approximately
by the end of 2024 due to economic 300) will be retained until
reasons. the end of 2025, and then
gradually reduced in con-
The GA formulation production sultation with employee
in Frankfurt will end in 2025. Sub- representatives, the com-
sequently, both production facilities will pany added.
be shut down. BASF said GA would
continue to a key component of its duction facilities achieving cost reduc- Mr. Michael Heinz, Member, Board
global herbicide portfolio. tions, BASF’s volume and profitability of Executive Directors, BASF, said,
development is insufficient,” the com- “We will continue to focus on the deve-
“BASF’s GA production is increa- pany explained, adding that post re- lopment of next-generation GA solu-
singly affected by rising competition structuring of the production network, tions that achieve the same results with
from generic manufacturers, alternative it will source the active ingredient from significantly lower application rates,
technologies as well as high energy and third-party suppliers. This will help benefiting farmers in the Americas and
raw material costs. Despite both pro- secure its “long-term competitiveness Asia.”

EXPANSION
AkzoNobel raising marine and protective coatings

capacity in China with plant upgrades

A newly updated and automated the global shipbuilding market. This
production line is up and running at demand includes a particular focus on
AkzoNobel’s Suzhou site in China, part high-performance anti-foulings and
of a €14-mn investment designed to wind power solutions.
accelerate growth and double the plant’s
capacity for marine and protective AkzoNobel said the recently com-
coatings by 2025. pleted work involved enhancing the
automation of existing waste gas treat-
The recent upgrade – which will ment, filling and grinding systems. Other
already boost daily capacity by more than planned site improvements include
40% – is scheduled to be followed by tive Coatings business. “The signifi- accelerating Suzhou’s transition to us-
updates to three additional lines, which cant leap in site efficiency and capa- ing 100% renewable electricity by 2025,
will result in the doubling of overall city will elevate our local production which will contribute to the company’s
capacity before the end of next year. and supply chain capability, which is ambition of halving carbon emissions
essential in terms of responding to the across the full value chain by 2030.
“The strategic enhancements we ever-evolving market,” added Ms. Karen- Recent projects that have been supplied
are making will also enable us to adapt Marie Katholm, AkzoNobel’s Chief with AkzoNobel’s products include
faster to the dynamic Chinese market,” Integrated Supply Chain Officer. There China’s biggest wind farm and the
explained Mr. Simon Parker, Director is growing demand for marine and pro- country’s first domestically built large
of AkzoNobel’s Marine and Protec- tective coatings in China as it leads cruise ship.

158 Chemical Weekly July 23, 2024

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