BASF announces butyl acrylate plant start-up and completion of cracker and petrochemical plants

These achievements mark steady progress toward the site’s full operational start-up by the end of 2025, reinforcing BASF’s commitment to meeting the growing demand for high-quality petrochemical products across the Asia Pacific region.

The BA plant commenced operations on 11 August 2025, ahead of schedule and with an exemplary safety record. The first shipment was delivered via tanker trucks on 17 August 2025, marking the plant’s inaugural customer delivery. With a capacity of approximately 400 000 tpy, the plant further solidifies BASF’s place in the acrylics market, supplying essential materials to customers in the adhesives, industrial coatings, and architectural coatings industries.

Moreover, BASF has achieved mechanical completion of the steam cracker and all downstream petrochemical plants, including ethylene oxide, oxo alcohols, syngas, and high-density polyethylene, at the Zhanjiang Verbund site, transitioning the project from construction to operational readiness. This milestone ensures all systems are installed, connected, and tested, paving the way for commissioning and start-up activities scheduled for the end of 2025.

“The progress at the Zhanjiang Verbund site demonstrates BASF’s commitment to strengthening our presence in the Asia Pacific region and creating long-term value for our customers,” said Bir Darbar Mehta, Senior Vice President of Petrochemicals Asia Pacific at BASF. “This integrated site will significantly enhance our production capabilities and supply chain resilience, enabling us to offer a broad portfolio of high-quality, reliable, and competitive solutions. With the site on track for start-up by end of 2025, we are well-positioned to fulfil the growing market needs and support our customers’ success with greater efficiency and shorter lead times.”

“The achievements at our Zhanjiang Verbund site reflect the close collaboration between BASF, our partners, and local authorities. Their strong support has been crucial for us to achieve these key milestones safely, efficiently, and ahead of schedule. With this solid foundation, we are poised to drive sustainable growth and deliver high-quality made in Zhanjiang products to customers in both local and global markets,” said Marko Murtonen, Senior Vice President, New Verbund Site China, BASF & General Manager, BASF Integrated Site (Guangdong) Co. Ltd.

Strategically located close to customers, the Zhanjiang Verbund site is a cornerstone of BASF’s strategy to drive growth in the petrochemicals industry across Asia Pacific. As a fully backward integrated complex, the site includes a steam cracker with a capacity of 1 million tpy of ethylene, along with downstream petrochemical plants. These facilities are scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2025, providing a wide range of petrochemical products to cater to the diverse needs of industries across the region.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/petrochemicals/07102025/basf-announces-butyl-acrylate-plant-start-up-and-completion-of-cracker-and-petrochemical-plants/