BASF Expands Catalyst Production in India to Support Emissions Regs

January 27, 2014

Ryan Gehm

BASF manufactures various catalyst solutions to help control heavy-duty diesel emissions. The company plans to produce such technologies in its new India facility.

BASF Catalysts India Private Ltd. is expanding its mobile emissions catalysts production capacity in Chennai, India. Construction of a new 47,000-m² (506,000-ft²) facility commenced in December 2013, with operations startup expected in the first quarter of 2015. Nine manufacturing lines will be housed in the new site, producing heavy-duty, light-duty, and motorcycle emissions control catalysts. Once operating at full capacity, the site is expected to employ about 300 people. “The pending expansion of Bharat Stage IV (Euro IV equivalent) emissions control regulations in India combined with overall vehicle production growth will drive a significant increase in demand for our advanced emissions control solutions,” said Anup Kothari, Vice President, Mobile Emissions Catalysts Asia Pacific. “BASF is investing to more than double our manufacturing capacity in India to help customers meet these emerging needs.” In addition to existing catalyst technologies such as the three-way catalyst, diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), and catalyzed soot filter (CSF), the advanced SCR (selective catalytic reduction) system also will be locally manufactured, ensuring “world-class heavy-duty diesel production capabilities in the region,” the company claims.