Uhde Inventa-Fischer technology for BASF's Ecoflex project

BASF SE (www.basf.com) has awarded a contract to engineer and supply its proprietary 2 R process for the BASF Ecoflex® project to Uhde Inventa-Fischer (www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com). The plant will be built in Ludwigshafen (Germany) and will have an annual capacity of 60,000 tons of Ecoflex® polymer. It is scheduled to start production in 2010. Ecoflex® is a biodegradable Co-Polyester polymer developed by BASF.

Uhde Inventa-Fischer’s scope of supplies and services comprises the basic and detail engineering, supply of equipment, construction supervision and commissioning supervision and training of the operating personnel.

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The excellent performance of the Uhde Inventa-Fischer 2R process for this sustainable plastic has been demonstrated in Uhde Inventa-Fischer’s pilot facilities in Berlin, which can demonstrate all Polyesters and PLA technologies. The production process for the Ecoflex® prepolyester will use this proprietary 2 Reactor technology involving the patented ESPREE® and DISCAGE® reactors to perform the desired chemical reactions and polymer chain build-up. The final process steps, though, are proprietary know-how of BASF.

As per BASF, Ecoflex® is a petrochemicals-based plastic which has the properties of conventional polyethylene, but which is fully biodegradable in accordance with DIN EN 13432 requirements. Ecoflex® polymer is further used for the production of Ecovio®, which contains 45% by weight of the sustainable raw material polylactic acid (PLA). PLA is made from renewable resources such as sugar.

About Uhde Inventa-Fischer
Uhde Inventa-Fischer is a leader in technology and equipment for the production of polyester and polyamide polymers like PET, PBT, PA-6 and PLA. Uhde Inventa-Fischer supplies plants for all applications, from filaments and yarns to film, to engineering plastics and bottle-grade PET. A proprietary and patented PLA resin process is also available from the Uhde Inventa-Fischer portfolio of technologies, but PLA is not part of the current project.

Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH, Berlin, Germany

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