Coperion delivers compounding lines to BASF site in Shanghai

Compounding equipment manufacturer Coperion GmbH (Stuttgart, Germany) is growing business in China through leveraging its production site in China. Collaborating with Coperion's other global sites, the China operation is building complete turnkey compounding lines for the production of engineering plastics.

One recent example of such a project is the new Shanghai compounding facility of BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany). In 2012, BASF ordered a turnkey production plant with completely equipped compounding lines for the production of engineering plastics. With the additional lines, BASF has more than doubled its compounding capacity since 2007, when 45,000 tonnes/yr of capacity came on stream. The nucleus of each of these new production lines is the ZSK twin-screw compounder.

The entire responsibility for the concept, design and realization of the new compounding lines at BASF lay with Coperion's MTS (Modular Turnkey System) Team. Established eight years ago, this specific interdisciplinary project team is comprised of experts from Coperion's three sites in Stuttgart, Ferrara (Italy) and Shanghai. Due to the ever increasing demand for these compounding lines, especially in China, Coperion has continually expanded its production facility in Shanghai and currently offers a comprehensive portfolio of engineering services.

For BASF's new compounding lines, a large part of the equipment Coperion designed and sourced locally. Coperion's services consist of:

When asked about the BASF project, Christian Bohnet, chief project manager Compounding Plants, Coperion, replies: "Even back in 2005, our international team was prepared at the engineering stage for fast assembly and commissioning times. We carry this expertise, which we are constantly widening and deepening, with us into future production lines for all of our customers, and that means that BASF will continue to receive fully functioning compounding lines on schedule for all of their project needs. Moving forward, we will benefit from the continually improved efficiency and competence of our Shanghai production site, and from the close and constructive cooperation we are receiving from the experienced engineers at BASF."