BASF Catalysts Expands Auto Catalyst Plants in China and India

27 August 2007

BASF Catalysts will nearly double its automotive catalyst manufacturing capacity at its plant in Shanghai, China,  and triple capacity at its plant in Chennai, India, over the next few years to meet increasing demand.

Domestic car sales in China and India are expected to grow significantly over the next few years, spurring growth in demand for light-duty automotive catalysts. Several factors are driving this growth: the emergence of a large middle class in both countries able to afford automobiles; the availability of high-quality domestic and foreign cars produced locally; and tightening emissions regulations, starting with the larger cities in India and China.

Both sites’ technical capabilities will also be upgraded in order to deliver the most advanced emission-control technologies that will meet anticipated new emissions standards in China and India. Capacity expansions at both locations will be complete by early 2009.

Additional expansions are underway to support key growth technologies and markets including: refinery catalysts, diesel emissions control, and chemical catalyst technologies.