OREANDA-NEWS. BASF has expanded the production capacities of Ultramid(r) C for flexible food packaging films at its production site in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The company converted a part of its Ultramid(r) B (polyamide 6) production facility making it capable to produce Ultramid(r) C (polyamide 6/6.6) as necessary. The new production setup has an annual capacity of 20,000 metric tons and was commissioned in the beginning of this year.

"The applications and demands are becoming increasingly diverse, especially in the area of flexible food packaging films", says Rainer Gretter, Vice President Strategic Marketing Polyamide. "This expanded production setup for high performance polyamides enables us to respond to our customers' needs even quicker."

Using Ultramid(r) in flexible packaging solutions means that less packaging material is needed. At the same time, optimum protection is provided for the product. So Ultramid(r) helps to increase shelf life. Reductions in the amount of packaging material used also help protect the environment and saves money.

With more than 60 years of experience, BASF is the leading supplier of high quality polyamide and polyamide intermediates for the engineering plastics, film, fiber and monofilament industry. The line of products include Ultramid(r) B (polyamide 6), Ultramid(r) C (polyamide 6/6.6 copolymer), Ultramid(r) A (polyamide 6.6) and Ultramid(r) S Balance (polyamide 6.10). The product offerings are supplemented by technical services for our customers.

BASF operates Ultramid(r) polymerization plants in Ludwigshafen, Germany; Antwerp, Belgium; Freeport, Texas and S a o Paulo, Brazil. Another plant is under construction in Shanghai, China. The production of polyamide for film, textile and carpet fiber as well as for engineering plastics applications is integrated into BASF's global Verbund structure with polyamide intermediates (i.e. adipic acid, anolon, caprolactam), chemical raw materials (i.e. ammonia, cyclohexane, sulfuric acid), energy, by-product recovery, logistics and other services.