SHANGHAI, China – BASF Shanghai Coatings Co. Ltd. broke ground yesterday on a new automotive coatings plant at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park in Shanghai.

This state-of-the-art production facility is scheduled to commence operations in early 2014, and complements the company’s existing plant in Shanghai, which has been operating for more than 15 years. BASF
Shanghai Coatings Co. Ltd. is a joint venture between BASF (China) Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Coatings Co. Ltd.

BASF says the investment further strengthens the company’s position as a leading coatings supplier to the automotive industry in China.

“As the demand for mobility grows, so does the demand for highly efficient, sustainable solutions for the automotive industry," said Dr. Albert Heuser, president, Asia Pacific of BASF. "This investment helps demonstrate BASF’s commitment to addressing these needs and supporting the dynamic growth of China’s automotive industry as the No. 1 supplier from the chemical industry."

“High-quality coatings products and eco-efficient manufacturing processes are in enormous demand in China,” added Peter Fischer, senior vice president, Coatings Solutions Asia Pacific, BASF. “We will continue to invest and expand our automotive coatings production capacity, providing coatings solutions according to the latest and most environmental friendly manufacturing processes and technologies.”