BASF today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its catalysts manufacturing facility in Nanjing, China, to Süd-Chemie AG, a worldwide leading speciality chemical company for catalysts and adsorbents headquartered in Munich, Germany. The facility is independent from BASF's main Verbund site in Nanjing. Both companies have agreed not to disclose financial details of the transaction.
The facility produces more than 30 different types of syngas catalysts, including products for manufacturing ammonia and methanol. A transition plan for the approximately 400 employees working at the process catalyst site is being developed together with Süd-Chemie. Despite the sale of the Nanjing catalyst site, BASF remains committed to being the global leader in the process catalysts industry and the preferred catalysts supplier for its customers.
"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," said Wilfried Seyfert, Group Vice President, Process Catalysts and Technologies. "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."
Dr. Günter von Au, Chairman of the Managing Board of Süd-Chemie AG, commented: "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."