Developmentsin styrenics

Basf is continuing to pursue the development of its styrenics business with the creation of a new independent company, called Styrolution. The chemical group plans to carve out, by January 1,2011, its businesses in styrene monomers (SM), polystyrene, ABS, styrene butadiene copolymers (SBC) and other styrene-based copolymers and establish separate companies. The company will retain its global business in polystyrene foams as well as the SM/PS capacities in Ludwigshafen.
Basf will transfer its styrenics business at production sites in Germany (Ludwigshafen, Schwarzheide), Belgium (Antwerp), Korea (Ulsan), India (Dahej) and Mexico (Altamira) to Styrolution. Separate companies will also be established in other countries, for instance in the US, Italy or China, where Basf has other styrenic activities.
Finally, on October 7, a new polyurethane system house was opened in Srem (Poland) following those established in Cartagena (Spain) and Chongqing (China).