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Süd-Chemie acquires BASF catalyst site in China
Süd-Chemie becomes leading producer of syngas catalysts in China
Süd-Chemie AG, Munich, a worldwide leading speciality chemical company for catalysts and adsorbents, has come to an agreement with BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, about the acquisition of a production site for synthesis gas (syngas) catalysts in Nanjing/China where there are approximately 400 employees. The site is independent from BASF‘s main production facility in Nanjing.The parties agreed not to disclose the purchase
price.
Süd-Chemie already produces catalysts at another site in China (Panjin). Through this acquisition, Süd-Chemie is significantly expanding its position in the Chinese catalyst market and becomes the largest manufacturer of syngas catalysts in China.
The syngas catalysts produced in Nanjing are primarily used in the conversion of coal or natural gas to ammonia for the fertilizer industry or the production of methanol, which is gaining significant importance in China as a transportation fuel. Syngas catalysts are also used in the production of hydrogen or in the conversion of coal (CTL, coal-to-liquid), natural gas (GTL, gas-to-liquid) and biomass (BTL, biomass-to-liquid) into liquid mineral oil products, such as diesel.
Because China has access to the world's third largest coal deposit, the demand for syngas catalysts is increasing there significantly. Today, China's share in the world market for syngas catalysts is already approximately 30 percent. In other countries where coal and natural gas is abundant, such as Russia, the USA and the Middle East, demand is also growing significantly as crude oil becomes scarcer. Süd-Chemie is the worldwide leader in the development and production of syngas catalysts and already has production sites in Europe, the USA, Ukraine, India, Indonesia and, since 2002, also in China.
Dr Günter von Au, Chairman of the Managing Board of Süd-Chemie AG, comments: "Acquiring syngas catalyst production in Nanjing is an important strategic cornerstone for the expansion of Süd-Chemie in China and expanding our catalyst business in Asia. With the new site, we strengthen not only our market position in the Chinese growth market for catalysts for converting coal into high quality chemical products, but we also consolidate our position as worldwide technology and market leader in this area of business."
Wilfried Seyfert, Group Vice President, Process Catalysts and Technologies at BASF SE, says: "China will continue to be a major focus of our process catalysts business. Because BASF has an extensive platform in China, we see our best growth opportunities in leveraging BASF's assets to capitalize on the growing Chinese catalyst market. This catalysts site did not represent a strong fit with BASF's other operations in China. We therefore determined that our best strategy was to sell the site as part of BASF's ongoing efficiency and restructuring
programs."
www.sud-chemie.com
About Süd-Chemie
Süd-Chemie AG (www.sud-chemie.com) is a publicly quoted (Security Identification Number ISIN: DE0007292005; WKN: 729 200) specialty chemicals company headquartered in Munich, Germany and operating on a worldwide scale. Key markets served by its Adsorbents Division include the consumer-goods, packaging and foundry industries, as well as water treatment. Products manufactured by the Catalysts Division offer solutions for the chemical, petrochemical and refinery industries, for energy storage and hydrogen production, as well as off-gas purification. The common denominator of all its products and innovations is the efficient and sparing use of natural resources to enhance the quality of life for humans and the environment. Süd-Chemie generated group sales of just under €1.2 billion in 2008, approx. 80% of these outside Germany. At the end of 2008, the group employed more than 6,500 people at 80 sales and production companies
worldwide.
Posted April 20, 2009
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