BASF and Dow Chemical Co. announced Tuesday a joint feasibility study for the building of a state-of-the-art production plant for toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and precursors at one of their integrated sites in Europe.
TDI is an important basic product in the manufacture of polyurethanes.
The plant, said to be the world's largest facility, would produce 300,000 metric tons per year, and if the project goes through, would begin operating in 2011.
This will be the second recent cooperative effort between Dow and BASF focusing on the polyurethane industry, following the joint development of a process to produce propylene oxide on the basis of hydrogen peroxide (HPPO technology).
In September 2006, Dow and BASF broke ground for their first world-class HPPO plant at BASF's site in Antwerp, Belgium. Dow and BASF are also additional HPPO projects in other areas, including Asia.