BASF opens $1 billion MDI facility at Geismar
- The investment of approximately $1 billion is BASF’s largest wholly owned project to date in North America.
- Geismar’s annual MDI capacity rises to approximately 600,000 metric tons.
- The project was delivered in three phases, beginning in 2018.
- BASF also expanded aniline capacity at the Louisiana site.
Capacity expansion
BASF has inaugurated a methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) production facility at its Geismar Verbund site in Louisiana. The approximately $1 billion investment nearly doubles the site’s annual MDI capacity to around 600,000 metric tons, making BASF North America’s largest MDI producer.
MDI is used to produce polyurethanes for applications including construction, appliances, transportation, automotive, footwear and furniture. BASF says the expanded capacity will provide customers with a local, integrated supply source.
Project and site integration
Work began in 2018 and proceeded in three phases. A new MDI synthesis unit was commissioned in 2020, followed by expansions to upstream units in 2021. The final phase added further upstream units and a splitter, with technology intended to increase production flexibility.
The expansion also increased aniline production capacity at Geismar, strengthening the site’s integrated value chain and supply to North American customers in agricultural chemicals, rubber, dyes and pigments. Geismar is BASF’s largest Verbund site in the United States.
Source: BASF