BASF to optimize and consolidate its PAM-bead production  

BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) will consolidate the production of polyacrylamide (PAM) beads into its Bradford, U.K. facility, where the company operates a backward-integrated production plant with worldwide supply capability. Significant investment will be made to increase and upgrade the bead capacity at the Bradford site, and this will ensure a consistent supply of PAM beads to BASF’s customers globally. PAM products are a state-of-the-art product range for use in solid-liquid separation processes. They are available as powders and beads or in liquid form (inverse emulsions) and are extensively used in the global growth markets for water treatment, oilfield and mining, as well as paper chemicals. As a result of the consolidation, BASF intends to close down its PAM bead production unit at its Suffolk; Va. site, effective January 2012. Other production activities are not affected by the shift in production. The production unit was considered too small to support the strong growth path for BASF’s Water Treatment and Oilfield and Mining Chemicals businesses in North America. About 50 BASF employees will be affected. From January 2012, North American customers will be supplied with PAM beads from Bradford,…