BASF has deepened its Gulf footprint with the announcement it is setting up a production facility for customer-specific antioxidant blends (CSB) in Bahrain. The plant, which will come on stream next year or in 2012, is expected to create about 50 jobs.

The global giant has an existing tolling agreement for CSB with Astra Polymer in Saudi Arabia, which is mainly supplying local customers.

 “With the new production facility in Bahrain, we will be able to support the fast growth of our customers in the Middle East, while providing flexibility in supply and service speed our customers require,” said BASF Performance Chemicals Division president Hans W Reiners in Germany.

“Following the evaluation of several investment options, we have decided that a new antioxidant blending facility in Bahrain will provide the highest value for both our customers and BASF,” added BASF Plastic Additives Europe/EAWA senior vice-president John Frijns.

Supporting polymer growth
As the world’s leading plastic additives supplier, BASF is committed to supporting polymer growth in the Middle East with local production as well as services customers demand.

“I am delighted that the world’s leading chemical company, BASF, has chosen Bahrain and the Bahrain International Investment Park (BIIP) in Salman Industrial City for a new production facility to produce antioxidant blends for Middle East markets,” said Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Hassan Fakhro.

“The selection by such a prestigious company of the BIIP is a testament to the quality of the location and the competitive advantages which Bahrain has to offer to international companies,” he added.

Dr Fakhro noted that the BASF announcement followed the news that another leading German company Siemens would establish a metallurgical service centre in BIIP for the Middle East and the announcement in August that Chongqing Polycomp International Corporation, China, and S+A Abahsain, Saudi Arabia, are to invest $200 million in a new fibreglass manufacturing facility at the BIIP.