BASF to make catalysts in India
pharmafile | October 15, 2012 | News story | Manufacturing and Production |Â Â API, BASFÂ
BASF says it is planning to open a new production line in India next year that will make catalysts used in the manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
The expansion of its manufacturing site in Mangalore marks the first time that the German chemicals major will produce precious metal-based fine chemical catalysts in the Asia-Pacific region, and will help BASF tap into India’s “significant growth market for the pharmaceutical industry”.
BASF currently produces precious metal slurry catalysts at its operating sites in Rome, Italy, and Seneca, South Carolina, and the new plant will make it easier to serve the needs of local pharma producers.
“This expansion will allow us to cost effectively increase our manufacturing footprint and production capacity”, said Dr Hans-Peter Neumann of BASF’s €1.3 billion ($1.68 billion) catalysts division.
The Mangalore site is BASF’s largest manufacturing site in India and in South Asia and currently focuses on performance chemicals, dispersions and paper chemicals, automotive coatings, coil coatings and construction chemicals.
Relocates ingredients operations
Meanwhile, BASF has made some major changes to its Pharma Ingredients & Services business unit, relocating the division’s headquarters to Florham Park in New Jersey, US, from Evionnaz in Switzerland.
The chemicals group has also named Scott Thompson as senior vice president in charge of the division. Thompson was formerly vice president, market & customer development North America at BASF Corp, and succeeds Martin Widmann, who will now head up BASF’s Fuel & Lubricant Solutions unit in Ludwigshafen, Germany.
“By moving the headquarters of our global business unit to the US, we are strengthening our presence in one of the world’s largest and most innovative markets for pharma products”, commented Walter Dissinger, president of BASF’s Nutrition & Health division.
“This will enable us to even better serve the needs and demands of our international customers in the future”, headed.
Phil Taylor
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