BASF decided to build a new hexamethylene diamine (HMD) plant in Chalampé, France. The new plant is set to increase BASF’s annual HMD production capacity to 260,000 metric tons. Production is expected to start in 2024. Furthermore, BASF will expand its polyamide 6.6 production in Freiburg, Germany starting 2022. BASF is a leading chemical from Germany.

The planned investments will further expand the polyamide 6.6 business that BASF acquired from Solvay in 2020. HMD is a precursor used in the production of high-quality polyamide 6.6 plastics and coating raw materials. Among other things, these products are used in the automotive industry as well as in the production of special fibres, the company said in a press release.

“With this new HMD plant in Chalampé and the expansion of the polymerisation in Freiburg, BASF ensures that customers can be reliably supplied with HMD and PA6.6, while also addressing increasing demand in the market,” Ramkumar Dhruva, president of BASF’s monomers division, said in a statement.