BASF has planned to construct a second production facility at its Ludwigshafen, German site to double the production of Hexamoll DINCH phthalate-free plasticizer.
The total annual production capacity will be increased from 100,000 to 200,000 t by 2013. The company has taken the expansion plan in response to the strong increase in global demand for alternative plasticizers.
The demand for the Hexamoll DINCH additive has grown continuously as they offer maximum safety. Primarily, the demand was more from manufacturers of leisure articles and toys. But its exceptional technical and toxicological features diversified its applications in food packaging and medical industries. BASF’s phthalate-free plasticizer is ideal for ultra-sensitive applications such as breathing masks, catheters, nutrition tubes and blood bags. Currently, Hexamoll DINCH is considerably used for general indoor applications such as wallpapers. Another added benefit of the material is its very low migration rate.
The Hexamoll DINCH plasticizer has been permitted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for application in food contact products and authorized by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) for food packaging uses.
The current production capacity expansion will reinforce BASF’s market position and provide new opportunities for the additive. The facility will enable the company to successfully supply its customers across the world. The Hexamoll DINCH plasticizer plays a major role in human contact applications said Dr. Rainer Diercks, president of BASF’s Petrochemicals Division.
Source: http://www.basf.com/