МОSCOW (MRC) -- BASF is substantially expanding the scope of its research and development (R&D) capabilities in Asia Pacific, with a series of initiatives to bring innovation closer to customers in the region. Overall, BASF aims to locate around a quarter of its global R&D activities in Asia Pacific, said the company in its press release.
The second phase of the BASF Innovation Campus Asia Pacific was inaugurated on 9, November, a EUR90 million expansion located at BASF's Greater China headquarters in Pudong, Shanghai.
"The Innovation Campus is BASF's largest R&D center in the region and an important location in BASF's global research and development network. The expansion will boost our power to innovate in Asia Pacific for Asia Pacific - and the world," said Dr. Martin Brudermueller, Vice Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors and Chief Technology Officer, BASF. Focusing primarily on advanced materials and systems, the expansion adds new areas such as formulations and chemical processes and engineering.
With close proximity to the vibrant R&D community in China and in Asia Pacific, BASF's Pudong site comprises R&D, production and marketing functions, serving as an integrated platform to co-create innovations and applications together with customers in the region.
Researchers at the Innovation Campus are already bringing new applications to the region that serve the needs of local markets. One example is new utility poles developed at the site, made with BASF's polyurethane system Elastolit^(R) together with local customers. Based on filament winding technology, the utility poles are at least 2.5 times more wind-resistant than concrete utility poles, but weigh only 250 kg each, about one fourth the weight of concrete poles. In 2014, when typhoon Rammasun hit Guangdong province, they proved their superior wind resistance when more than 70,000 concrete and metal utility poles were destroyed while the polyurethane poles remained standing.
Chemistry-based innovations play a key role in meeting the needs of growing populations and rapid urbanization across Asia Pacific. In addition to the Innovation Campus in Shanghai, R&D centers in India, Japan, Korea and Singapore will also contribute to developing innovative solutions that address the region's challenges of resource efficiency, food and nutrition, and quality of life. Additionally, BASF is investing approximately EUR50 million in constructing a new Innovation Campus in Navi Mumbai, India, which will be operational in 2017. The facility will accommodate around 300 scientists investigating areas as crop protection, process development and polymer research.
As MRC informed earlier, in mid October, BASF and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (SINOPEC) today inaugurated their world-scale isononanol (INA) plant in Maoming Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, Maoming, China.
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.
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