BASF and SINOPEC commenced production at the second propionic acid plant at the Verbund site, BASF-YPC Co., Ltd., a 50-50 joint venture in Nanjing, China. Commercial products are now available for sale to customers in China and the rest of Asia Pacific.
The new plant has an annual production capacity of 30,000 metric tons of propionic acid. The total capacity of the two plants has thus been increased to 69,000 metric tons per year.
“As the population grows and the living standards improve in Asia Pacific, the rising demand for food and feed has led to an increase in the consumption of propionic acid. Strong growth in other industries, such as pharmaceuticals and agriculture, is also driving us to expand our propionic acid capacity in the region,” said Vasilios Galanos, Senior Vice President, BASF Intermediates Asia Pacific. “Propionic acid is an eco-efficient and effective preservative used in animal feed and food additives. With the new plant, we look forward to better supporting the growth of our customers in China and the rest of Asia Pacific.”
“SINOPEC and BASF work collaboratively for the successful startup of the second propionic acid plant. The startup of this plant not only meets the market demand in the field of food safety, but is also in line with the Government’s commitments to promoting the transformation and upgrade of the traditional manufacturing industries which was re-emphasized during the Two Sessions this year through the key reform priorities,” said Mr. Hong Jianqiao, Chairman of Sinopec Yangzi Petrochemical Co. Ltd. and BASF-YPC Co. Ltd.
Propionic acid is used as a mold inhibitor for the preservation of food and feed grains. It offers strong economic and ecological benefits over preservation through drying or storage in air-tight silos. Propionic acid is also widely used in the production of pharmaceuticals, crop protection agents, solvents and thermoplastics.
Source: BASF
