OREANDA-NEWS. BASF now offers high performance Ultramid(r) (polyamide), which is derived from renewable raw materials. BASF uses an innovative approach that replaces up to 100% of the fossil resources used at the beginning of the integrated production process with certified biomass. The share of renewable raw materials in the sales product is then indicated in the respective quantity. A third-party certification confirms to customers that BASF has used the required quantities of renewable raw materials which the customer has ordered in the value chain.

The resulting Ultramid, which is produced according to the so called mass balance approach, is identical in terms of formulation and quality but associated with lower green house gas emissions and saving of fossil resources . Also , existing plants and technologies along the value chain can continue to be used without changes.

"Consumer demand for products made of renewable raw materials continues to rise," says Joachim Queisser, Senior Vice President of the Polyamides and Precursors Europe regional business unit. "This offering opens excellent possibilities for packaging film manufacturers to market their products accordingly."

BASF will also present this innovative approach at the interpack trade fair which takes place from May 8 to 14 in Dusseldorf, Germany.

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 (Polyamid 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 Sao 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.