The company has also set up a computer-aided engineering (CAE) lab in Thane where its engineers design and optimize new engineering plastic parts in close co-operation with customers.
“Advanced CAE technology is a key competence of BASF in the field of engineering plastics,” says Hermann Althoff, BASF’s Group Vice President, Asia Pacific Engineering Plastics. “Offering this service to customers, combined with local supply from the new plant, is a major milestone in growing our engineering plastics business in India.”
Further, BASF Coatings commissioned a new refinish color lab at Mangalore in February last, and is expanding its e-coat facility which is expected to be completed by the end of 2008. Also underway is the expansion of BASF’s catalyst plant in Chennai which will triple its capacity by 2009.
“Automotive is one of BASF’s most important target industry segments and our second largest revenue source,” explained Dr. Wolfgang Hapke, President, Market and Business Development, Asia Pacific, BASF East Asia Regional HeadQuarters Ltd. “In 2007, BASF derived over 13 per cent of its total worldwide revenue of 58 billion euros from the sale of products to the automotive industry.”
A special focus for BASF is energy efficiency and solutions to curb emissions. The increase in the number of cars is putting a strain on the environment: CO2 emissions could quadruple by the middle of the century. BASF pioneered the development of the first catalytic converter for automobiles. Today the company offers a catalyst that, for the first time, makes it possible to convert up to 96 per cent of a vehicle’s emissions.
Catalysts are not the only way to reduce emission: the vehicle’s weight is another crucial factor. Reducing a vehicle’s weight by 10 per cent translates into 5-7 per cent less fuel consumption, and BASF’s fuel additives can cut consumption by a further two per cent.
In fact, for every kilogram by which the weight of a car is reduced, the environment is spared 25.3 kg of CO2 emissions over the entire service life of the car. Using plastics in automobile construction therefore also makes sense from an environmental point of view because they are much lighter than steel components.
BASF provides many of the complex high-tech ensemble of plastic solutions that are commonly found in cars today – from dashboards and seats to airbags and temperature-resistant plastics that function right next to the engine block.
“Production figures show that Asia is the fastest growing region in the global automotive industry, with car production increasing by eight per cent last year. In India it is growing at an average of 15 per cent per annum over the last few years. Innovations in the automotive industry are increasingly being driven by Asian companies, and BASF supports this trend,” said Mr. Prasad Chandran, Chairman, BASF Group in India and Head, South Asia.
BASF is a globally popular chemical company. Its portfolio ranges from oil and gas to chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals. As a reliable partner, it helps its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful.
