Photo: BASF
PCI Nanolight is a smooth and multifunctional tile adhesive from
BASF’s construction chemicals division. It weighs less than conventional products and is therefore easy to apply, according to the company. Here, PCI Nanolight is used for the renovation of a church in
southern Germany.
company’s new Asia Pacific technology center in
Shanghai, will enable the company to more fully serve
the needs of its customers in the region. The facility will
produce specialty adhesives for textile and performance
wood applications, which include insulating glass, textile
lamination and footwear.
“H.B. Fuller is committed to investing for organic
growth in key developing economies, including the Asia
Pacific region,” said Michele Volpi, president and CEO in
a statement to the press. “The new plant further supports
this strategy by building an enhanced supply chain capability to better serve our customers in this region. We are
confident that this will further accelerate our existing
organic growth profile in Asia.”
BASF’s construction chemicals division is to open a
plant for concrete admixtures in Kolkata, East India. The
new plant is BASF’s response to soaring Indian construction industry demand for concrete admixtures in East
India, North East India and West Bengal. Kolkata is
BASF’s fourth production site for construction chemicals
in India. BASF production plants in Mumbai, Bangalore
and Nalagarh cater to the demand for construction chemicals in southern and central India.
“The opening of the Kolkata plant marks a key milestone
in the expansion of our business in East India,” said Prasad
Chandran, chairman, BASF Group, India and head South
Asia. With a contribution of almost seven to eight percent
to the GDP, the construction industry in India is a focus
area for BASF.”
“Local production takes us close to our customers in
India’s regions and enables us to respond rapidly and flexibly to their needs,” said Himanshu Kapadia, head of the
BASF Construction Chemicals division in India. “That way,
we benefit from the soaring demand in India and at the
same time help local construction industry to develop.”
BASF’s construction chemicals business in India has
been growing at an annual rate of 45% for the past five
Photo: BASF
When concrete is made, the proportions of water and cement
determine its consistency, its final strength as well as its durability. Plasticizers from BASF's Construction Chemicals division
liquefy the compound while enabling a smaller amount of water
to be added, which increases the final strength of the concrete.
years. Growth is mainly driven by infrastructural projects in the public sector. Large projects in East India
include expansion of the national freeway network,
hydroelectricity plants as a source of energy, and promotion of the industrial infrastructure in West Bengal.
Sika AG has expanded its concrete admixtures business
with a partnership in Western China. Sika’s Chinese subsidiary, Sika (China) Ltd., has entered into a partnership
with Sichuan Keshuai Additive Co., Ltd., a supplier of concrete additives to the growing Western China markets.
Sichuan Keshuai Additive Co., Ltd. was established by
Shuai Xiwen, a pioneer and expert in the field of concrete
admixtures. Sichuan Keshuai Additive Co., Ltd. has approximately 130 employees and 2007 sales of approximately $17
million. The company’s main production facilities are located near Chengdu in the western province of Sichuan. Sika
is acquiring a majority stake of the company.
Sichuan Keshuai Additive Co., Ltd. has access to an
extensive distribution network in Western China. The co-operation will enable the parties to support the construction industry in this region with a broader range of locally produced products and technologies. Sika (China) Ltd.
is based in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province.
Earlier in the year Sika strengthened its polymer flooring business in North America through two acquisitions.
Sika’s U.S. subsidiary, Sika Corporation, acquired
Valspar’s commercial and industrial polymer flooring
business. Revenues for this business totaled approximately $17 million in 2007.
Sika Corporation also recently acquired the commercial and industrial polymer flooring business of ICS
Garland, Inc. Revenues for this business totaled approximately $14 million in 2007. The ICS Garland polymer
flooring business, with its portfolio of epoxy,
polyurethane, and ESD (Electrostatic Sensitive Devices)
technology products, is also a good fit for Sika’s growth
strategy for North America. CW
