BASF increases German BDO production following anti-dumping call
Chemicals group BASF is increasing production of 1,4-butanediol (BDO) at its plant Ludwigshafen, Germany, to help its customers as they navigate the implications of anti-dumping proceedings.
In January, the European Commission suggested imports of BDO from China, Saudi Arabia and the United States will be subject to provisional anti-dumping duties following “significant dumping and injury margins observed”. The investigation was initiated last summer after complaints from EU producers regarding unfairly low-priced imports. Measures are expected by August.
BDO is a key intermediate used across numerous markets, including polymers, textiles, automotive engineering, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods.
It is used to produce tetrahydrofuran (THF), which is then converted into poly(tetramethylene ether) glycol (PTMEG), used in the production of elastane and polyurethanes (PU).
