BASF to build biocatalysis line in India

The catalyst production line - the German chemicals giant's first catalyst production capacity in the Asia Pacific region - will be installed at a facility in Mangalore and is expected to be operational by the end of June next year.

Hans-Peter Neumann, senior VP of process catalysis at BASF, said: "This expansion will allow us to cost effectively increase our manufacturing footprint and production capacity, leveraging a existing BASF facility to enhance our proximity to customers in the Asia Pacific region​."

This was echoed by Prasad Chandran - chairman of BASF in India - who said that: "By introducing a new production lie for precious metal-based fine chemical catalysts in India, we will expand our offerings to meet the needs of local pharmaceutical producers​."

Once the expansion is complete the Mangalore site will become BASF's third catalyst site behind existing plants in Rome, Italy and Seneca, South Carolina.

Asia Pacific​

While it has operated there for many decades BASF redoubled its efforts to build its presence in Asia Pacific since 2007 when it identified the region as a key opportunity in its 2020 growth plan​. 

At the time BASF's head of operations in Asia - Martin Brudermuller - said: "Local innovation and local production are driving business growth in the region​," adding that "we therefore want to develop new applications, products and solutions...adapted for Asian needs and then serve local markets​."

In the years since BASF has invested in manufacturing capacity in China​, joined new excipients group IPEC India​ and found a new distributor for drug and food excipients in New Zealand and Australia.

More recently the firm has reiterated its plans to conduct more R&D in Asia​ in an effort to do at least 50 per cent of its development work in emerging pharmaceutical hubs within a decade.