MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Shanghai Zhengming Modern Logistics Co., Ltd. (Zhengming) to develop insulating polyurethane (PU) sandwich panels, for use in the construction of refrigerated storages for the cold chain industry in China, said the company.
Under the agreement, BASF will support information and technology exchange as well as market development while Zhengming will designate BASF as its PU supplier for all joint cold storage projects. The two parties will also explore joint marketing and promotion opportunities for PU sandwich panels.
Huang Zhengming, CEO of Zhengming said, "Today, living standards are constantly improving and food safety standards are also becoming stricter. In addition, China’s cold chain industry is also developing rapidly. By using BASF's Elastopir solutions with excellent fire insulation performance in our products, we strive to protect the cold chain ecosystem and ensure our customers can enjoy high-quality goods produced by an integrated supplier."
BASF’s Elastopir is used in the core of insulated sandwich panels. In addition to being energy-efficient and safe, Elastopir also offers customers a more sustainable solution as fewer flame retardants and no bromine are needed for production.
"We have typically collaborated with various partners along the cold chain, such as panel producers, to develop PU sandwich panels. This new collaboration marks a significant milestone for BASF, as we are collaborating directly with a cold storage owner,” said Desmond Long, Vice President, Business Management, Performance Materials Greater China, BASF. “We would like to thank Zhengming for this exciting opportunity and look forward to enhancing the cold chain supply in China together."
We remind that BASF has restarted its No. 1 steam cracker following a maintenance turnaorund. Thus, the company resumed operations at the plant on September 30, 2019. The plant was shut for maintenance in mid-August, 2019. Located at Ludwigshafen in Germany, the No. 1 cracker has an ethylene production capacity of 235,000 mt/year and a propylene production capacity of 125,000 mt/year.
Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing PE and polypropylene (PP).
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 557,060 tonnes in the first three month of 2020, up by 7% year on year. High density polyethylene (HDPE) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) shipments rose because of the increased capacity utilisation at ZapSibNeftekhim. Demand for LDPE subsided. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market was 267,630 tonnes in January-March 2020, down 20% year on year. Homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers accounted for the main decrease in imports.
BASF is the leading chemical company. It produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries. BASF generated sales of EUR59 billion in 2019.
MRC