Page 25 - Plastics News June 2019

COMPANY NEWS

BASF announces plastic plans for Kordsa inaugurates new

new Verbund site in China polyester yarn line in Turkey

ASF plans to build an engineering plastics compounding einforcement technologies specialist Kordsa has
Bplant and a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) plant at Rinaugurated an additional polyester line in Turkey
the company’s proposed integrated chemical production with an investment of US$18 million which will be
(Verbund) site in Zhanjiang, China. These will be the used to purchase the latest technological solutions to
first production plants to come onstream at the site. By generate new polyester yarns with higher resiliency
2022, the new engineering plastics compounding plant and better dimensional stability. Kordsa's expanded
will supply an additional capacity of 60 000 tpy of BASF Izmit facility has begun polyester yarn production on
engineering plastics compounds in China. This will bring its newest line, following an $18 million investment.
The new line, which focuses on polyester yarn products
with higher resiliency and better dimensional stability,
is being produced in addition to the standard HMLS
polyester yarn, Kordsa said.Kordsa said it sought to
add 7,000 tons of polyester yarn capacity globally,
in response to rising demand for the product, which
is used a variety of tires, as well as other aircraft
components. Its expansion plans included investments
in Indonesia and Turkey, moves the company said
strengthen its position as a leading polyester yarn
the total BASF capacity of these products in Asia Pacific to maker. "As the reinforcer of every one out of three
290 000 tpy. As part of the company’s plan to implement automobile tires and every two out of three aircraft
a comprehensive smart manufacturing concept at the tires, we touch every corner of life thanks to our
Verbund site based on cutting-edge technologies, the new recent investments," Kordsa CEO Ali Calıskan said in a
plants will utilise automated packaging, high-tech control statement. "Today, with our current capabilities, we
systems, and automated guided vehicles. “Less than a are able to reinforce the wings, hulls, motors, and
year after we signed the first MoU, we are delighted to interior of the aircrafts, as well as their landing tracks.
announce the first plants to be established at our smart Our latest investments enabled us to strengthen our
Verbund site in Zhanjiang,” said Dr. Stephan Kothrade, position among the largest polyester yarn producers
President Functions Asia Pacific, President and Chairman and provided us another leadership in polyester yarn."
Greater China, BASF. “The project is moving forward
swiftly and customers in southern China will soon benefit
from these innovative products to meet their immediate
needs.” General facilities for the Zhanjiang Verbund
site will also be built along with the two new plants.
BASF Integrated Site (Guangdong) Co. Ltd (BIG), BASF’s
new wholly-owned subsidiary, has also been officially
founded. This entity will oversee the operations of the
new Verbund site, underlining BASF’s commitment to the
southern China market. The Verbund site in Guangdong
would be BASF’s largest investment, estimated up to
US$10 billion upon completion, and would be operated Izmit, Turkey-based Kordsa, founded in 1973 by Sabanci
under the sole responsibility of BASF. The integrated value
chain will connect upstream and downstream plants from Holdings, is considered a global leader in reinforcing
basic chemicals to more consumer-oriented products and textiles. It claims to be the supplier for half the world's
solutions, serving growth sectors like consumer goods or car tires and two-thirds of aircraft tires.
transportation.

25 June 2019 Plastics News