BASF is building a world-scale production plant for acetylene at its Ludwigshafen site. The plant will start up at the end of 2019 and replace the existing plant. The new facility will have the capacity to produce 90,000 metric tons of acetylene per year and will use the world's most efficient production process. Around 20 production facilities at the Ludwigshafen site use acetylene as a starting material for many other products and value chains.

"With the new plant, we are strengthening the BASF Verbund by ensuring an efficient supply of the key intermediate acetylene at our Ludwigshafen site. This will improve our competitiveness and support growth in the various acetylene value chains," said Dr. Stefan Blank, President of the Intermediates division.

"We have been working on acetylene production for more than 50 years and have continuously refined the associated processes during this time. Accordingly, the new plant in Ludwigshafen will use state-of-the-art technical equipment and processes."

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