BASF this month opened a new plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany, with capacity to make 15,000 metric tons of isopropanolamines per year. Among other applications, isopropanolamines are used in industrial lubricants to inhibit corrosion.
The chemical giant, which is based in Ludwigshafen, said the new plant replaces an older facility, but it declined to disclose the latters capacity or even to indicate which plant was bigger. Management did say that the new plant uses an improved process that allows more flexibility and control in distributing production between mono-, di- and triisopropanolamines.
BASF said global demand for these chemical intermediates has been growing. In addition to the lubricants industry, they are used in gas scrubbing and in production of cement additives, colorants, surfactants, pharmaceuticals and crop protection agents.