BASF YPC starts up first chemical plant in integrated petrochemical site at Nanjing, China

BASF-YPC Co. Ltd. successfully started up it's methyl acrylate plant this week, marking the completion of the integrated petrochemical site in Nanjing, China, as scheduled for the end of 2004. BASF-YPC Co. Ltd., a 50-50 joint venture between BASF and SINOPEC, is an integral part of BASF's strategy in the Asia Pacific region. Methyl acrylate is mainly used as a co-monomer in the manufacture of acrylic fibers, widely used in the manufacture of pressure sensitive adhesives, packaging tapes, construction chemicals, surface coatings, exterior architectural latex coatings and paints. BASF-YPC Co. Ltd. was established at the end of 2000 with a total investment of USD 2.9 billion. Using state-of-the-art technology, the joint venture will build and operate a 600,000 metric tpa of ethylene and 9 downstream plants. The plants are expected to begin commercial operations in mid-2005. The capacity of the plants at BASF-YPC Co. Ltd. are: Steamcracker (ethylene) 600,000 mta Ethylene glycols (EG) 300,000 mta Low density polyethylene (LDPE) 400,000 mta Acrylic acid (AA) 160,000 mta Acrylic esters (AE) 215,000 mta C4-oxo-alcohols 250,000 mta Formic acid 50,000 mta Propionic acid 30,000 mta Methyl amines (MA) 30,000 mta Dimethyl formamide (DMF) 40,000 mta