BASF's Huntsville Plant Produces 300 Millionth Emissions Control Catalyst for Automotive Catalytic Converters
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ISELIN, NJ, November 9, 2010 - BASF's Huntsville, Alabama, Mobile Emissions Catalysts facility has achieved a major operational milestone by producing its 300 millionth catalyst for automotive catalytic converters.
Over the past 36 years, BASF's automotive catalysts have enabled a dramatic reduction in air pollution from vehicles. For example, it would take 100 of today's cars, equipped with BASF catalytic conversion technology, to equal the pollution from just one pre-1974 car.
"The 300 million catalysts we have produced in Huntsville since 1974 have removed more than 500 million tons of pollutants from vehicles in North America and around the world," said Rui-Artur Goerck, Senior Vice President, BASF Mobile Emissions Catalysts. "Our employees in Huntsville have done an outstanding job supporting our customers and producing products that enable cleaner air for a healthier and more sustainable future."
"Our people in Huntsville have done a great job delivering high-quality solutions that can satisfy both current and future emission regulation requirements," said Jim Chirumbole, Vice President, Mobile Emissions Catalysts, for BASF in the Americas. "We continue to invest in Huntsville, including a 2009 expansion program to enable the production of advanced zeolite SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) technology, which is helping our customers meet the more stringent heavy duty diesel US2010 emissions regulations."
BASF's SCR catalyst comprises a catalytically active component coated on a ceramic honeycomb. When a reductant, such as a urea solution, is added to the system, the catalyst promotes a chemical reaction that converts harmful NOx (nitrogen oxides) into water and nitrogen. BASF's advanced zeolite SCR technology received the Frost & Sullivan SCR Technology Product of the Year award in 2009.
"The Huntsville site has been in continuous production since it was opened in 1974," said Mark Todd, BASF Site Manager. "This milestone reflects the dedicated efforts of hundreds of employees that have and in some cases continue to work at our site and drive our progress and advancement every day."
BASF is the market leader for mobile emissions catalysts in North America and, including its joint ventures in Japan and Korea, is also the market leader for mobile emissions catalysts globally. BASF's mobile emission control technologies offer cost-effective regulatory compliance solutions for light-duty gasoline and diesel engines, heavy-duty diesel engines, motorcycles, small engines, and more.
About BASF's Catalysts division
BASF's Catalysts division is the world's leading supplier of environmental and process catalysts. The group offers exceptional expertise in the development of technologies that protect the air we breathe, produce the fuels that power our world and ensure efficient production of a wide variety of chemicals, plastics and other products. By leveraging our industry-leading R&D platforms, passion for innovation and deep knowledge of precious and base metals, BASF's Catalysts division develops unique, proprietary catalyst and adsorbent solutions that drive customer success.
About BASF
BASF is the world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals and oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF creates chemistry to help its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than Euros50 billion in 2009 and had approximately 105,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.
For more information contact
Joseph M. Jones
BASF Corporation
Catalysts
Tel: (732) 205-5557
E-mail: joseph.jones@basf.com
