BASF's Zhanjiang Complex Nears Commissioning with Key Plant Milestones
German chemical giant BASF has announced two significant achievements at its Zhanjiang integrated production site, marking substantial progress towards the facility becoming fully operational by the end of 2025.
The company confirmed the successful start-up of a new butyl acrylate plant and the mechanical completion of the ethylene complex and all integrated petrochemical plants. These developments underscore BASF's strategic commitment to expanding its capacity to meet rising demand for high-quality petrochemical products across the Asia-Pacific region.
The butyl acrylate unit commenced operations on August 11, 2025, ahead of schedule and with what the company described as an outstanding safety record, reporting zero incidents. Shortly after, on August 17, the site successfully dispatched its first batch of butyl acrylate to a customer via tanker trucks. This shipment, with an annual design capacity of approximately 400,000 metric tons, is intended to strengthen BASF's leading position in the acrylic acid market. The unit will supply essential raw materials to customers in the adhesives, industrial coatings, and architectural coatings sectors.
In a parallel development, the ethylene complex and all downstream petrochemical units at BASF's Zhanjiang Integrated Site have achieved mechanical completion. This includes the ethylene oxide, carbonylation synthesis alcohol, synthesis gas, and high-density polyethylene units, marking the project's transition from construction to operational readiness. This milestone confirms that all systems have been installed, connected, and tested, laying a solid foundation for commissioning and start-up scheduled by the end of 2025.
Commenting on the progress, Bir Darbar Mehta, Senior Vice President and Head of the Petrochemicals Business Unit Asia Pacific at BASF, stated: 'The progress achieved at the Zhanjiang Integrated Site underscores BASF's unwavering commitment to strengthening our footprint in Asia Pacific and creating long-term value for our customers.'
'This world-class integrated production site will significantly enhance our production capacity and supply chain resilience, enabling BASF to deliver a broad range of high-quality, reliable, and competitive solutions to our customers,' Mr Mehta added. 'With the site scheduled to start production by the end of 2025, we will be better positioned to meet growing market demand, supporting our customers' success with shorter delivery cycles and greater efficiency.'
Marko Murtonen, Senior Vice President at BASF and General Manager of the New Integrated Site in China, highlighted the collaborative effort behind the milestones. 'The outstanding achievements at BASF's Zhanjiang Integrated Site demonstrate the close collaboration between BASF, our partners, and the local government. Their strong support has been crucial for our safe, efficient, and early achievement of multiple key milestones.'
'Building on this solid foundation, we will drive sustainable growth and deliver high-quality ‘Made in Zhanjiang’ products to customers in local and global markets,' Mr Murtonen stated.
Strategically positioned near its customer base, the Zhanjiang Integrated Site is a cornerstone of BASF's growth strategy in the region. As a fully backward-integrated complex, its core is a 1 million metric ton per year ethylene production unit, supported by extensive downstream petrochemical facilities. The commencement of operations by the end of 2025 is designed to comprehensively address the diverse needs of customers across various industries in the Asia-Pacific region.