BASF-YPC to add more specialities

BASF and Sinopec are to further expand their verbund site operated by their BASF-YPC joint venture at Nanjing, adding capacity in several downstream plants for speciality chemicals.  These will come onstream in 2023. Precise details were not disclosed. The products involved are:

* Propionic acid, a mould inhibitor for the preservation of food and feed grains, which is also used in the production of pharmaceuticals, crop protection agents, solvents and thermoplastics

* Ethyleneamines and ethanolamines, which are intermediates used in the manufacture of crop protection products, surfactants for personal and home care products, process chemicals for gas treatment, lubricants and cement additives, paper chemicals and APIs

* Propionic aldehyde, an intermediate for propionic acid and n-propanol production, mainly for use in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, insecticides, fragrances and plastics

* Purified ethylene oxide, a raw material for the manufacture of ethanolamines, glycol ethers and surfactants for detergents

* Tert-butyl acrylate, an acrylic acid ester used for manufacturing polymers, as a feedstock for syntheses, and in paper sizing and emulsion applications