Page 171 - CW E-Magazine (11-6-2024)

News from Abroad News from Abroad

MEETING DEMAND GPCA SUPPLY CHAIN CONFERENCE
BASF expands dispersions capacity in China ‘Strategic value chain partnerships essential for

a sustainable future’
BASF has inaugurated a second
dispersions production line at its Daya
Bay site in Huizhou, China. With its With global and regional disruptions supply chains. In a keynote address,
augmented capacity, the plant will meet expected to continue and evolve, strategic Dr. Carolin Stumm-Wenk, MD Area
growing local demand from various value chain partnerships will be essential Arabian Gulf, Hapag-Lloyd, highlighted
industries, including paints, construc- to ensure a resilient and sustainable future, the opportunities to future-proof chemi-
tion, packaging, and adhesives. said speakers at the 15th Gulf Petrochemi- cal supply chains not only for growth
cals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) and resilience, but also for innovation, as
“Both existing demand and the Supply Chain Conference, held recently the industry continues to face signifi cant
expansion of our product offerings drive in Dubai, UAE. disruptions.
our growth. For instance, in addition to
architectural and construction coatings, Held under the theme “Harnessing In another keynote address, Mr. Saleh
we have expanded our product port- connectivity for a sustainable tomorrow”, Al Shabnan, Chairman of the Board, Saudi
folio to cater to the battery industry. Our the annual conference hosted over 300 Supply Chain & Procurement Society,
Licity and Basonal power products are participants from 17 countries and ad- called upon the industry to minimise
essential anode binders for lithium-ion Mr. Andreas Fechtenkoetter, Senior users. Using interior wall coatings fea- dressed some of the most crucial themes the effects of geopolitical disruptions by
batteries. Vice President, Dispersions Asia Pacifi c, turing IO-Hybrid Technology enhances shaping GCC chemical supply chains. establishing a resilient supply chain, and
BASF, while explaining the company’s opacity, resulting in superior interior embracing innovation, localisation, and
Therefore, expanding our produc- strategy for the capacity expansion. design aesthetics, and provides anti- Mr. Khalid Sultan Al-Kuwari, CEO, logistics connectivity.
tion capacity is crucial to meet the microbial properties within 24 hours. Q-Chem, said, “The digitally enabled lously tracked and documented. This
increasing demand for batteries in China BASF said it is seeking to push the supply chain ecosystem holds the power level of granular detail allows companies Industry experts pointed out how
and the wider Asia Pacifi c region. It boundaries of innovation within tradi- Furthermore, this innovative tech- to transition the industry from having a to identify and eliminate ineffi ciencies multiple global events such as regional
also elucidates the rationale behind the tional industries, as exemplifi ed by the nology eliminates the need for custo- limited view of its supply chain to having that contribute to environmental waste,” confl icts, virus outbreaks, climate change
name change in March, transitioning its proprietary ‘IO-Hybrid’ technology. mers to add in-can biocide to paints, a complete view of the entire chain from he added. and the banking crisis have impacted sup-
from BASF Paper Chemicals Huizhou thereby reducing VOC emissions,” said sourcing to planning to customer delivery”. ply chains. As a result, volatility in supply
to BASF Specialty Material Huizhou, a “This technology goes beyond the Ms. Mirian Tiemi Zanchetta-Sbragia, “Imagine a world where every step in Dr. Bashar Al Malik, CEO, Saudi Ara- chains has been signifi cant, demanding
move intended to encompass the broader product’s basic functions, delivering Vice President, Business Management, the supply chain, from sourcing raw mate- bia Railways (SAR), highlighted the role advanced risk management amid new-age
range of product offerings,” commented additional benefi ts to customers and end Dispersions Asia Pacifi c, BASF. rials to fi nal product delivery, is meticu- of rail transportation in enabling greener disruptions.
Chemours pauses titanium dioxide production at
Air Products to invest in expanding its membrane drought-hit Mexico site

manufacturing at US facility

US-based Chemours has tempo- with a request from the government ners to identify and implement short-
Air Products, the US-based group nitrogen for the aerospace industry and our St. Louis manufacturing and logis- rarily paused titanium dioxide pro- to temporarily minimise water intake, and long-term solutions.
making industrial gases and gas sepa- cleaner fuels for the marine industry. tics centre. This expansion shows our duction at its Altamira (Mexico) site which has led to a pause in produc-
ration & purifi cation membranes, has commitment to continue to be a leader amid severe drought impacting much tion at the Altamira facility to conserve At this time, Chemours cannot pre-
announced plans to invest more than The new manufacturing facility in the energy transition by creating of Mexico. water for the surrounding communities. dict this event’s duration due to the
$70-mn to signifi cantly expand its manu- is expected to be in production by the innovative products for a safer, cleaner “We are working closely with govern- uncertainty of the factors outside of its
facturing and logistics centre in Maryland end of 2025. This expansion follows a and more productive world,” said The company said it is complying ment, business, and community part- control,” the company said.
Heights, near St. Louis, Missouri, USA. previous $10-mn investment made in Dr. Erin Sorensen, general manager,
2023 to increase production capacity at Air Products Membrane Solutions. Kraton to hike USBC and HSBC product prices globally
The investment, which is Air Pro- the current facility.
ducts Membrane Solutions’ largest ever, Air Products Membrane Solutions US-based Kraton Corporation, a nounced a general price increase of tive from July 1, 2024. “This action is
is driven by growing demand in biogas “We are excited to announce this specialises in hollow fi bre membrane producer of speciality polymers and $220/tonee for all unhydrogenated and driven by the continued increase in raw
and hydrogen recovery applications, as investment to signifi cantly expand the separators and systems for onsite gas bio-based products derived from pine hydogenated styrenic block copolymers material and transportation costs,” the
well as customer needs for the use of footprint and production capacity of generation. wood pulping co-products, has an- products. This increase will be effec- company said.

170 Chemical Weekly June 11, 2024 Chemical Weekly June 11, 2024 171

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