Page 20 - Plastics News December 2017

COMPANY NEWS

BASF opens automotive coatings Plastic Omnium plans to start

production plant in Thailand India Operations

n response to growing demand in the ASEAN region, rench plastic parts supplier Plastic Omnium
IGerman chemical giant BASF SE has opened an FSA has unveiled plans to invest 2.5 billion
automotive coatings production plant at its Bangpoo euros ($2.9 billion) in building new capacities and
manufacturing site, Samutprakarn province, Thailand. The technology over the next four years. During its
unit will produce solventborne and waterborne automotive Investors Day presentation, the automotive supplier
coatings and will complement BASF’s Coatings Technical said the investment would also be directed at
Competence Center in the ASEAN region, which opened in optimizing industrial facilities through Industry 4.0
2015 at the same site. Commenting on the company’s first and operational excellence, as well as developing
automotive coating plant in ASEAN, Dirk Bremm, President new programs and launching new research projects.
of BASF’s coatings division said the new facility would show The increase in innovation capacity will enhance
the company’s commitment to its clients in the region as a the company’s capability to address the looming
challenges for the automotive industry, including
the development of carbon-free, connected and
autonomous cars.

The innovation investments are part of Plastic
Omnium’s strategy to maintain its leading position
in exterior modules and equipment supplier for
propulsion energies in the future. The investment
plan also includes four new plants, one in China,
one in India, and two in the U.S., which are set to
be launched in 2018. The U.S. facilities include the
Greer plant in South Carolina which is pilot plant for
the deployment of Industry 4.0 of the future within
“trusted partner of all major automotive manufacturers”. the company. Additionally, the company aims to launch
The unit was launched in light of significant growth in the three plants in 2019 in India, Morocco and Slovakia.
number of automotive OEMs engaging in production and Plastic Omnium is positioning itself as a supplier
technology development activities in ASEAN – which has of storage for each form of energy in the area of
subsequently led to growing need for local innovation in carbon-free cars. The company said it is developing
coatings solutions and products. According to the LMC specific solutions for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV),
Automotive Report from November 2017, this year’s total turbocharged engine vehicles and electric vehicles.
car production in ASEAN is anticipated to reach around 3.9 The company has also become involved in fuel cell
million.Thailand will account for more than 50% of this propulsion.
market, representing the largest coatings market within
ASEAN, followed by Indonesia and Malaysia.
“With our robust capabilities in Thailand, we meet the
increasing demand for sustainable and eco-efficient
solutions,” said Peter Fischer, senior vice president,
coatings solutions Asia Pacific, BASF. In 2015, BASF
launched its Coatings Technical Competence Center
ASEAN to support automotive customers in the region.
The center offers product development services, high
performance application facilities, colour design, and a For the connected and autonomous car, it is positioning
small batch production unit. According to BASF, the co- itself as the integrator of connectivity and to that end
location of production and technical facilities will increase is developing innovation capacity in complex modules
operational efficiency and speed to market. that integrate radar and sensors in the exterior parts.

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