Sep 11 2006
Starting in fall 2006, Neochim S.A. will produce biodiesel in a new plant at BASF’s Feluy site in Belgium, using steam from the waste heat generated by the production of maleic anhydride (MA), a chemical intermediate. Neochim will also use other infrastructure facilities of the site and purchase services from BASF. The companies recently agreed on this in a memorandum of understanding. Neochim has been making glycerine at Feluy since 1996, a process for which it also uses BASF’s MA production waste heat, infrastructure facilities and services.
This step allows BASF to hold on to 17 employees who would otherwise not have had any professional future with the company after the site restructuring decision taken in 2005. Moreover, the use of the waste heat generated by the MA production and the sale of BASF services will sustainably improve the cost structure of the Feluy site.
“After several years of production on the Feluy site as BASF’s partner, Neochim has decided, thanks also to the help and the support of BASF, to build a biodiesel factory”, said Giorgio Spinelli Responsible Neochim Site Feluy. He continues: “This is based on an existing plant modified using the best of modern technologies. The biodiesel production plant is particularly well situated in Feluy, and takes advantage of the available synergies with BASF and of the presence on the same site of our glycerine refining unit.”