BASF completes capacity expansion at facility in Spain

BASF Catalysts LLC (Iselin, N.J.; www.basf.com) has completed a significant debottlenecking project that has increased capacity at its production facility in Tarragona, Spain. The 25% capacity increase will help meet growing global demand for polypropylene catalysts. The expansion was completed as projected, on time in the third quarter 2008, and is already on line and in use to serve customers.   The Tarragona plant produces custom catalysts for BASF’s partner, Novolen Technology GmbH, and BASF’s own proprietary polyolefin catalysts. “The global polyolefin catalysts market is expected to grow 4 to 5%/yr through 2015,” says George Vann, BASF Polyolefin Catalysts Global Business Manager. “We expanded manufacturing capacity to keep pace with the market, meet our customers’ needs and leverage the value we bring to them.”  The new capacity will help BASF better service customers in Europe and the Middle East and strengthen the company’s ability to help customers be more successful in their own businesses.  “No matter where a customer is in the world, we’re making sure that BASF polyolefins catalysts will be available,” says Vann. BASF’s Lynx polypropylene…