LUDWIGSHAFEN, Germany – BASF's Coatings division inaugurated a new, world-scale automotive coatings plant at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (SCIP) in Caojing, Shanghai, China. The €140 million project is an extension of the existing automotive coatings plant, a joint venture between BASF and Shanghai Huayi Fine Chemical Co. Ltd. This expansion will further enhance the company's local production and better serve the growing automotive market in China and Asia-Pacific.
In 2016, 48.6 million light vehicle units were produced in the Asia-Pacific region, accounting for 52% of global production. "The global automotive market is expected to continue to grow significantly, with China as the biggest driver," said Dirk Bremm, President of BASF's Coatings division. "The inauguration of this new plant in Shanghai will help us to support the growth of our customers and take an active role in developing the Chinese automotive market."