- The new citral plant has an annual capacity of 40,000 metric tons.
- The plant is part of a €300 million investment program at the Ludwigshafen site.
- Citral is used in the production of vitamins A and E, carotenoids, and aroma chemicals.
- The new plant uses the first continuous process for citral, developed by BASF researchers.
New Citral Plant Overview
BASF has inaugurated a new citral production plant at its Ludwigshafen site, significantly increasing its annual capacity from 10,000 to 40,000 metric tons. This expansion replaces the existing plant and positions citral as a key building block for BASF's fine chemicals, including vitamins A and E, carotenoids, and various aroma chemicals.
Investment and Strategic Goals
The new plant is a major component of BASF's €300 million investment program for fine chemicals at Ludwigshafen. The investment aims to strengthen BASF's long-term activities in this field and maintain its position as a global leader. The plant's increased capacity ensures reliable supply to customers and enhances BASF's competitiveness in the fine chemicals market, which faces margin pressures from new suppliers, particularly in Asia.
Technological Advancements
The new citral plant employs the first continuous process for citral production, incorporating numerous innovative process steps and catalyst systems developed by BASF researchers. This advancement simplifies production structures and reduces costs, benefiting from the synergies offered by the Ludwigshafen Verbund site.
Economic and Employment Impact
The new plant supports over 500 jobs in fine chemicals production at Ludwigshafen and strengthens an additional 1,000 jobs in maintenance, logistics, and other services both at the site and in the region. The project underscores BASF's commitment to investing in the future of the Ludwigshafen site and the surrounding area.
