BASF is expanding its aroma ingredients business with new plants in China and Germany.
The new manufacturing facilities include a citral plant as part of BASF’s Verbund site in Zhanjiang, China, as well as menthol and linalool downstream plants at its Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany.
BASF’s Verbund concept, according to the company, adds value through the efficient use of resources.
Production plants, energy and material flows, logistics and site infrastructure at its Verbund sites are all integrated.
It is hoped that the investment will expand and diversify BASF’s aroma ingredients’ citral value chain footprint in Germany and Malaysia, and support its customers’ growth opportunities.
The citral plant in China, meanwhile, will strengthen the chemical’s giant’s position in key growth regions.
It will also increase its production of a broad range of aroma ingredients and downstream products globally.
BASF expects that its annual capacity of citral will increase to 118,000 metric tons.
Citral is an acyclic monoterpene aldehyde that boasts a strong lemon scent.
“The expansion of our global production network benefits our customers in the flavour and fragrance industry by further strengthening supply security,” said Thilo Bischoff, Senior Vice President, BASF Aroma Ingredients.
“Investing in Zhanjiang is also a significant step towards sustainable production and addressing our customers’ demands for products with a lower carbon footprint.”
BASF said that it plans to power the whole of its Zhanjiang Verbund site with 100% renewable electricity by 2025.
All the new plants are set to be operational in 2026.
