Major developments in a promising future market

Leverkusen – For Bayer Polymers, a division of Bayer AG, expanding its site in Caojing, China is top priority, as it is there that Bayer is constructing world-scale production facilities for, among other things, the polyurethane raw materials toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and diphenyl methyl diisocyanate (MDI). “Producing locally is the most effective way of supplying the rapidly growing markets in Asia and particularly in China”, says Dr. Hagen Noerenberg, head of Bayer Polymers. This investment project forms part of an extensive program to expand production capacities for polymer products from Bayer Polymers in China.

It is planned to increase MDI capacity in the region in two stages: by 2006, a production facility for the production of polymeric and monomeric MDI from crude MDI is scheduled to be completed, along with additional logistics facilities, while 2008 should see the start of crude MDI production itself, with an annual capacity of 230,000 metric tons. In the meantime, Bayer Polymers is sourcing crude MDI from a plant operated by BASF and Huntsman, together with Chinese partners, in Caojing.

As far as TDI is concerned, Bayer Polymers is planning to construct a plant with an annual production capacity of 160,000 metric tons. This facility is scheduled to become operational as of 2009, and until it is complete, Bayer Polymers will be supplied with TDI from a plant operated jointly by BASF and Chinese partners.

TDI and MDI are important raw materials for the production of polyurethane foams for items such as mattresses, upholstered seating and insulation for refrigerators.