BASF Expands Plastic Additives Portfolio in Italy

BASF announced that the newly constructed facility for plastic additives at its site in Pontecchio Marconi, Italy, has been technically completed. The state-of-the-art facility will provide a wider range of NOR® solutions to support BASF's strategically important and growing position in the agricultural industry. Plastic culture—the use of plastic materials in agricultural applications—plays an important role in helping farmers increase crop productivity and food quality in an increasingly challenging environment. Agricultural plastics must be able to protect crops from more intense ultraviolet and heat radiation exposure and must be resistant to chemicals that farmers use for treating plant diseases and disinfection applications. Demand for such reinforced plastics continues to grow rapidly. The new BASF NOR® technology platform comprises a range of outstanding light and thermal stabilizers effective in plastic culture applications, particularly for greenhouse films, macro and mini tunnels, nets, and mulch bags. The BASF Pontecchio facility has already been a major production unit for hindered amine light stabilizers HALS and the NOR® HALS product series. It also hosts a global test center and regional aging center for agricultural applications. The expansion leverages existing infrastructure and creates new opportunities to meet rising customer demand. The new facility, recently equipped with an advanced digital technology platform, will provide innovative solutions that accelerate the site's progress toward Industry 4.0.   Source: https://www.basf.com/global/en/media/news-releases/2020/11/p-20-375.html