16 August 2023, Europe: BASF is set to double its production capacity for water-soluble dispersants based on acrylic acid at its Dilovasi, Turkey location with the introduction of a new production plant. This investment aims to support BASF’s customers in the detergent, cleaning and chemical processing industry across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The additional capacities are expected to be fully operational by the third quarter of 2023.
In 2020, BASF had already taken steps to enhance flexibility and expand its production plant for water-soluble dispersants and other functional additives at the Ludwigshafen site. Soeren Hildebrandt, Senior Vice President Home Care, I&I and Industrial Formulators Europe at BASF, commented: “Through this additional investment at our Dilovasi site, we are addressing the rising demand for these products for modern formulations. The capacity expansion will especially benefit our European customers, supporting them in their growth while providing them with even more flexible and reliable supply options.”
These water-soluble dispersants and functional additives are marketed by BASF’s Care Chemicals operating division under the brand Sokalan® and have a wide range of applications. Sokalan®PA and Sokalan®CP grades facilitate dirt removal, disperse dissolved dirt in water and prevent lime deposits on laundry, dishes and in washing machines and dishwashers. Additionally, they find use in various technical processes to prevent fouling. The latest class of products in the Sokalan® range is represented by Sokalan®NR grades, which are highly effective mineral dispersing agents because of their narrow molecular weight distribution and are optimized for the hydrophilization of pulp fibers.
