BASF: Plant Races to Production + New Technology Globally First!

Recently, BASF has achieved significant progress in its industrial layout and technological innovation in China: on one hand, the BASF Zhanjiang Verbund site has completed two major milestones, the commissioning of the butyl acrylate plant and the mechanical completion of the ethylene joint venture plant and petrochemical plant, advancing towards the goal of full operations by the end of 2025; on the other hand, its Chemetall business unit has launched the world's first chromium-free and fluorine-free copper foil passivation solution, providing a new environmentally friendly and high-performance option for the new energy battery materials field.

BASF Zhanjiang Integrated Base: Key Units Commissioned and Mechanically Completed, Sprinting Towards Full Operation by Year-End

On October 7th, BASF's Zhanjiang Verbund site announced two significant developments, marking the construction of this world-class production base entering the final stages, laying the foundation for full production by the end of 2025.

Acrylic acid butyl ester unit started production ahead of schedule, achieving the first customer delivery.

On August 11, 2025, BASF's Zhanjiang Verbund site officially commenced operations of its butyl acrylate plant, completing ahead of the original schedule while maintaining a record of zero safety incidents throughout the process. On August 17, the plant completed its first delivery of butyl acrylate via tank truck, marking the first customer fulfillment post-commissioning. According to public information, the butyl acrylate plant has a designed annual capacity of approximately 400,000 tons. The product will be used in the adhesive, industrial coatings, and architectural coatings industries, providing key raw materials for customers in these sectors, further strengthening BASF's position in the acrylic market.

The ethylene joint venture and petrochemical plant have completed mechanical completion.

During the same period, the core ethylene joint unit (with a designed annual capacity of 1 million tons) and all downstream petrochemical units (including ethylene oxide, oxo-alcohols, syngas, and high-density polyethylene units) at the Zhanjiang integrated base have fully completed mechanical completion. This milestone signifies that all equipment installation, system connections, and testing work for the aforementioned units have been completed, marking the transition of the project from the construction phase to the operational readiness phase. This provides assurance for the commissioning and start-up work scheduled before the end of 2025.

Bir Darbar Mehta, Senior Vice President of BASF and Head of the Petrochemicals Division in Asia Pacific, stated that the progress of the Zhanjiang integrated site will strengthen BASF's business layout in the Asia Pacific region, enhance production capacity and supply chain resilience, and shorten delivery cycles to customers. Marko Murtonen, Senior Vice President of BASF, General Manager of the new integrated site in China, and BASF Integrated Site (Guangdong) Co., Ltd., noted that the site's progress is thanks to collaboration with partners and local government. In the future, "Made in Zhanjiang" products will serve both local and global markets.

As the core of BASF's strategic layout in the Asia-Pacific region, the Zhanjiang Verbund site is a fully backward-integrated comprehensive base, geographically close to customer groups. Once operational, it will meet the diverse demands for petrochemicals in the Asia-Pacific region.

Chemetall launches the world's first chromium-free and fluorine-free copper foil passivation solution, tailored for the needs of new energy batteries.

Chemetall, the surface treatment business unit of BASF, has launched Gardolene® D, the world's first chromate-free and fluoride-free copper foil passivation solution. This solution provides surface treatment support for copper foil used in electric vehicle batteries and energy storage systems, representing an industry-first technology.

1. Technical Features: Dual Advantages of Environmental Compliance and Performance Enhancement

According to the introduction, Gardolene® D achieves "zero addition" of both chromium and fluorine elements, enhancing the surface energy of copper foil, optimizing the adhesion of anode active materials, and simultaneously reducing interfacial resistivity. Tests show that batteries treated with this solution can extend their lifespan by up to 6% and improve capacity retention after 1000 cycles at 25 degrees Celsius, outperforming traditional chromium (VI) passivation processes for copper foil batteries. Moreover, this solution is fully compliant with the new EU Battery Regulation (EU 2023/1542), which requires battery products to declare their carbon footprint, be equipped with a digital battery passport, and enforce strict restrictions on hazardous substances. Starting in 2027, batteries not meeting these standards will be banned from entering the European market. Additionally, Gardolene® D is compatible with existing production equipment, requiring no additional investment for modifications by companies. It is suitable for both electro-deposited and rolled annealed copper foil substrates, covering applications in electric vehicle batteries and various energy storage scenarios.

2. Research and Market Positioning

Chemetall's Global Technology Leader Arjan Termaten stated that the solution was jointly developed by the global R&D and technology teams based on market demand analysis, accumulated surface treatment technology, and customer feedback. It ensures stable copper foil performance, enhances electrode conductivity, and helps manufacturers meet regulatory and sustainability requirements. BASF Coatings' Senior Vice President of Global Surface Treatment Frank Naber pointed out that this solution is a practical example of BASF providing innovative surface treatment solutions for green transformation, aligning with the brand's positioning of "expect more."

The advancement of BASF's Zhanjiang integrated base will supplement the production capacity of high-quality petrochemicals in the Asia-Pacific region, providing essential raw material support for industries such as coatings, adhesives, packaging, and automotive. The launch of Gardolene® D fills the industry gap in chromium-free and fluorine-free passivation technology for copper foil, offering material solutions for the green upgrade of the new energy battery industry.