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LOCAL INTEREST, GLOBAL EXPERTISE FOR BASF PUS SOUTH AFRICA
PHOTO: Andrew Bailey, managing director of BASF Polyurethanes South Africa, talks about his group’s range of materials and the many markets they service in Africa
BASF group company’s range of Elasto polyurethane products meet huge array of needs
Johannesburg-based BASF PUs was originally known as CHC Urethane Products, which was part of CHC Group. A joint venture with the international BASF group business Elastogran was established in 2006 when Elastogran GmbH of Germany acquired a 51% stake in CHC Urethane Products and the company was renamed CHC Elastogran. That entity’s name was changed again in 2007 to Elastogran South Africa, to reinforce the importance of Elastogran as the market leader.
Now BASF group assimilated the Elastogran business unit globally and has hence assumed complete control of the South African company and, in what looks like its final shift, the business was renamed BASF Polyurethanes earlier this year.
PCR: Why is Elastogran South Africa changing its name?
AB: Elastogran was BASF Polyurethanes EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa) business organisation, which conducts business through 14 system houses, located in Germany, Russia, Sweden, Italy, UK, Spain, Netherlands, France, Hungary, Turkey, Dubai, South Africa, Slovakia and recently established in Poland in autumn this year.
Elsewhere in the world, BASF’s polyurethane business is conducted under the BASF Polyurethanes brand through 20 system houses in the Americas and Asia. This brand and name change for the Elastogran companies brings together all BASF Polyurethanes companies under one global brand and identity.
PCR: What are the implications for the South African company?
AB: BASF Polyurethanes South Africa already boasts superior products and services – which now from part of BASF’s global product range. This will further enhance awareness of the polyurethanes industry and its varied applications available to different industries not only in South Africa, but across the globe.
In terms of best practices, we can enjoy a larger pool of support systems, not only for research and development of products, but overall business systems and practices. In short – local interest, global expertise.
PCR: What will the new, renamed entity bring to the market?
AB: As part of the global technology leader, our customers have access to BASF’s polyurethane technologies and more than 40 years experience, developed in one of the 34 system houses throughout the world. This is backed-up locally by specialists and an experienced team of technical service chemists.
PCR: What are the core market focus areas for BASF Polyurethanes?
AB: We have five core markets, including:
- Automotive (OEM business which include seating, headliners, oil and air filters);
- Appliance (domestic and commercial refrigeration, geysers or boilers);
- Construction (insulated panels, insulating spray foam, rigid block foam);
- Footwear (safety and leisure footwear); and
- CASE (Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants & Elastomers) for the mining, metallurgical and general manufacturing industries.
PCR: What is the main specialty of your company?
AB: Helping our customers to be more successful in their businesses by providing customised polyurethane systems solutions throughout South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.
PCR: What are the main areas of future development in Polyurethane Technology?
AB: Our customers are constantly looking for advances in polyurethanes, namely
- Lighter and more durable materials;
- Higher levels of comfort;
- Low emission materials;
- More energy efficient materials;
- More sustainable materials; and
- Higher performance materials.
Significant R + D is being done in these areas throughout the world at BASF Polyurethanes’ R + D competency centres located in Germany (with global function), the United States (with regional function for NAFTA), and Shanghai (with regional function for Asia).
PCR: What is expected for 2010?
AB: Our strong growth in 2009 of over 30% is expected to continue in 2010. We foresee this sustained growth due to BASF’s innovative products and technology, technical expertise and solution-driven approach. More specifically, we see growth in the following areas:
- Domestic and commercial appliance industry, where our Elastocool® technology has assisted customers in demonstrating increased productivity, weight savings and optimal processing;
- Coating markets, where our Elastocoat® polyurea system offer significant abrasion and chemical resistance for coating of virtually any wood, metal or concrete surface, in a diverse range of applications;
- Automotive industry, where our Elastofoam® systems for automotive filters, offer significant improvements in overall mechanical properties meeting stringent OEM specifications, and the Elastoflex® technology that offers low emissions seating systems, where weight savings have been well demonstrated;
- Construction industry, where the demand for energy efficient materials for insulation of buildings and homes are capably met through our Elastopor® rigid spray systems. Elastopor also meets the demand for structural and thermal efficient building materials, where insulated panels are increasingly being used in the construction of homes, classrooms, hospitals etc, not only here in South Africa, but throughout Africa;
- Furniture and bedding industry, where the demand for higher levels of comfort are provided by our visco-elastic Elastoflex® systems, and the demand for more environmentally sustainable materials are offered by our Lupranol Balance, which is a low emission, castor oil based flexible foam polyol
- Decorative industry, where our rigid integral system Elastolit® provides a better surface finish that improves processing.
To ensure this growth, we have already invested R4-million in upgrading our manufacturing facilities, and a further R5-million to be invested in 2010. These investments will bring our manufacturing facility and technical laboratories to global best practice standards, as well as ensuring sufficient production capacity to handle a further tripling in volumes.
To support this growth, we continue to invest heavily in training and development, to ensure we form the best team in the industry.
www.basf-polyurethane.com
www.basf.com |
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