Plants: BASF to cater to EVs with cathode materials plant in Germany and agri sector with new additives plant in Italy

German materials firm BASF has broken ground for its new cathode active materials production plant in Schwarzheide, Germany. The new plant is part of BASF’s multi-step investment plan in the European battery materials market and will use precursors from the company’s previously announced plant in Harjavalta, Finland. Construction has already started in August in Schwarzheide and the plant is scheduled for a 2022 start-up. The Federal Government and the Land are providing approximately EUR175 million towards BASF’s project, said Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy.

This new plant for cathode active materials will be equipped with process technology and enable the supply of around 400,000/year full electric vehicles with BASF battery materials. The firm adds that its cathode materials increase the performance of batteries, promoting the success of climate-friendly mobility.

“We support our customers and want to capture the growth opportunity in the fast-growing electric mobility market with our investments in battery materials in Europe,” said Dr. Martin Brudermüller, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE. “Electromobility is one of the key solutions to unite the global desire for individual mobility and the need to significantly reduce local emissions. BASF is driving sustainable electromobility with innovative battery materials and state-of the art technology,” Brudermüller said.

“The new plant together with the precursor plant in Harjavalta will use efficient manufacturing processes, a high share of renewable energy, upstream integration into the key raw materials like cobalt and nickel, and a short transportation route along the value chain. These measures will lead to a 30% lower CO2 footprint compared to the conventional industry standard,” said Dr. Peter Schuhmacher, President, Catalysts division at BASF. He added: “With efforts on recycling, we aim to ‘close the loop’ while reducing the CO2 footprint of our cathode active materials by up to 60% in total.”

In an online event, the company celebrated this milestone together with customers, politicians and partners.

The investment in Schwarzheide reinforces BASF’s support of the European Commission’s agenda towards a European battery production value chain and is part of the “Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI)” approved by the European Commission on December 9, 2019, under the European Union State aid rules. The launch of innovative battery materials from the Schwarzheide plant and research to develop next-generation battery materials and process development, including battery recycling, is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy on the basis of a resolution of the German Bundestag and by the Ministry of Economics, Labor and Energy of the State of Brandenburg on the basis of a resolution of the Brandenburg State Parliament as part of the IPCEI for Batteries: Funding codes 16BZF101A/B.

Meanwhile, in related news, BASF has announced the technical completion of the newly constructed plant for the plastic additives business at its site located in Pontecchio Marconi, Italy. The facility will deliver a wider range of NOR solutions for the growing agriculture industry.

Plasticulture, the use of plastic materials in agricultural applications, plays an important role in helping farmers enhance crop productivity and food quality in an increasingly difficult environment. Agricultural plastics must be capable of protecting the crops enduring exposure to harsher ultraviolet and heat radiation and be impervious to the chemicals used by farmers to treat plants’ diseases and for disinfection practices. The demand for such reinforced plastics continues to increase rapidly.

BASF’s NOR technology platform consists of a range of light and thermal stabilisers that are especially effective in plasticulture applications such as greenhouse covers, macro and small tunnels, nettings and substrate bags.

The Pontecchio site has already been a major production unit for hindered amine light stabilisers HALS and NOR HALS product ranges. It is also home to the global testing hub for agricultural applications and the regional weathering centre. The expansion makes use of the existing infrastructure and generates new opportunities to serve the growing customer demand.

Greenhouses, for instance, with covers made with the NOR stabilised films create a favourable environment with the optimum light for growing fruits, vegetables and flowers and for pollinators such as auxiliary insects, bumblebees, thereby enhancing biodiversity. This is both an economic and environmental benefit for food producers who can improve their yield and better contribute to sustainable agricultural practices.

The new plant, which is equipped with a recently developed digital technology platform, will provide solutions that accelerate the site's progression towards industry 4.0. The new communication platform, for example, allows maintenance, troubleshooting and configuration of instruments to be done remotely over industrial ethernet which provides more security and stability.

“With the expanded capacity in Pontecchio Marconi, we are well positioned to better serve the growing plasticulture market with a broader range of NOR® technology. Farmers are the foundation of the agricultural system. With the NOR® technology platform and the knowhow of our experts, we take the responsibility to optimize the level of performance of agricultural plastics applications and support the farmers’ move towards a more sustainable farming system. They can focus on their core business of cultivating crops,” said Dr. Achim Sties, Senior Vice President, Performance Chemicals Europe, BASF.

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