BASF Coatings increases production capacity in China
BASF Coatings has successfully expanded its production capacity for polyester and polyurethane resin at its plant in Caojing, Shanghai, China, for the growing automotive industry in Asia Pacific. Opened in 2015 with an annual capacity of 8,000 tons of polyester and polyurethane resin, the capacity has now been increased to 18,800 tons per year.
After increasing the production capacity of polyester and polyurethane resins for automotive coatings at its Caojing site in China, BASF Coatings also plans to increase the production of binders for electrodeposition coatings by optimizing the manufacturing process in early 2026. With this strategic move, the company aims to strengthen its leading position in the dynamic automotive coatings market and support automotive manufacturers in their increasing demand for products that will be required across all coating layers in the Asia-Pacific region in the coming years. "The increased production capacity for resins and the planned additional capacity for binders will improve our supply situation and enable us to meet the growing demand for automotive OEM coatings in the region. This expansion underscores our commitment to local production and our ability to respond quickly to customer needs," said Patrick Zhao, Senior Vice President, Global Automotive OEM Coatings at BASF.
BASF's Caojing resin plant is located in the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (SCIP) and serves the automotive industry in China and the entire Asia-Pacific region. The plant produces a variety of raw materials for coatings, including acrylates, polyesters, polyurethane and binders for electrodeposition coatings. The plant is highly automated and runs on 100% renewable energy. This year, the resin factory is celebrating its 10th anniversary. "Over the past ten years, the Caojing plant has set a benchmark for safe operations, innovation and sustainability. Shanghai Chemical Industry Park is committed to providing valued partners like BASF with a high-quality development environment and comprehensive support, including energy supply and enhanced utility services," says Jinhua Hou, Deputy Director of the Management Committee of Shanghai Chemical Industry Park.