OREANDA-NEWS. BASF's Coatings division started up a new Netzsch LMZ25 beadmill at its site in Deeside, UK. The modern mill will be used to manufacture intermediate pigment pastes in the PVC plastisol production process. The beadmill replaces a Cox triple-roll mill that was more than 50 years old.

The new mill has a closed grinding system, which prevents volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from escaping into the environment. A modern automatic process control system allows the mill to be run without an operator in attendance. "Our company is one of the top three in the coil coatings business. The new technology will help us do our work with even higher quality and efficiency," said Jan Baumgartner, head of BASF's Industrial Coatings Europe business unit, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The Deeside production site of BASF's Coatings division mainly manufactures products for the coil coatings market. One of the major end users for the precoated steel and aluminum panels is the construction industry. These panels are also used for household appliances and in the automotive sector.