Jobs affected at BASF Korea
German chemicals firm BASF plans to permanently close its production facility for 1,4-butanediol (BDO) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) in Ulsan, South Korea, which has been temporarily closed since August. The company will continue to supply related customers via its global network.
“BASF Korea will work closely with local labour representatives to minimise the impact of the shutdown,” said Dr Peter Schuhmacher, responsible for the Asia-Pacific business of the intermediates operating division. The company employs 27 people at the affected plant.
The company will continue to supply BDO and THF to its PolyTHF plant at Ulsan from its global network, including its THF plant in Caojing, China, which is operating with a new company-owned technology.
Using THF as a major feedstock, the Ulsan PolyTHF plant provides standard PolyTHF grades for high quality spandex fibres. The plant, inaugurated in 1998, is also a production hub for specialty PolyTHF grades for adhesives, coatings, and thermoplastic elastomers.
BASF produces THF at its plants in Ludwigshafen (Germany), Geismar (USA), Caojing (China) and Kuantan (Malaysia). With BDO produced at these plants and at its Chiba (Japan) site, the total global capacity for BDO equivalents amounts to 535.000 metric tons per year. In addition to Ulsan, it produces PolyTHF in Ludwigshafen, Geismar and Caojing with an annual capacity of 185.000 metric tons.
