Poland – The 40,000 sq.m facility in the Special Economic Zone near Wroclaw cost €90m and will double the company’s regional manufacturing capacity. It is BASF’s largest European production plant for mobile emissions catalysts.
Construction work for the new facility began in late 2012; production trials started in April this year, and in June the plant opened two manufacturing lines, operated by 100 personnel. Further investment to €150m will increase the number of lines to ten and the workforce to 400. Full capacity is expected in 2016.
The catalysts made in Sroda Slaska will enable manufacturers of light-duty gasoline vehicles plus light and heavy-duty diesel vehicles to meet more stringent Euro 6/VI emissions regulations. Products will include Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems, SCR on Filter (SCRoF) solutions and PremAir ozone destruction catalysts.
“Tightening emissions regulations will be a key growth driver for our business,” said Kenneth Lane, president of BASF’s Catalysts division. “Our investment in Sroda Slaska will provide the capacity we need to meet increased customer demand in the most efficient way possible.”