German firm Coperion has recently delivered a turnkey production plant to chemicals firm BASF, which the latter ordered in 2012. The plant is equipped with complete compounding lines for the production of engineering plastics at BASF’s Shanghai site.

With the additional lines, BASF has more than doubled its compounding capacity since 2006. The nucleus of each of these new production lines is the ZSK twin screw compounder.

According to Coperion, the entire responsibility for the concept, design and realisation of the new compounding lines at BASF relies on Coperion’s MTS (Modular Turnkey System) Team. Established eight years ago, this specific interdisciplinary project team is comprised of experts from Coperion’s three sites in Stuttgart, Ferrara/Italy and Shanghai. Due to the ever increasing demand for these compounding lines, especially in China, Coperion has continually expanded its production facility in Shanghai and currently offers a comprehensive portfolio of engineering services.

For BASF’s new compounding lines, a large part of the equipment Coperion designed and sourced locally. Coperion’s proprietary services consist of:

•   Factory design and planning, with optimised system configuration for user-friendly operation and ready access for maintenance and repair – giving maximum priority to operator safety;

•   Complete compounding system production and installation, from the raw material feeders, to compounding extruder and pelletising system, to the drying, cooling and conveying of the finished product and the packaging of the pellets for shipment;

•   Total energy and media supply. This includes the entire electrical supply, as well as the compressed air supply, the water circuit and re-cooling system, and the plant aspiration system.

Christian Bohnet, Chief Project Manager Compounding Plants, Coperion, commented in the BASF project: “Even back in 2005, our international team was prepared at the engineering stage for fast assembly and commissioning times. We carry this expertise, which we are constantly widening and deepening, with us into future production lines for all of our customers, and that means that BASF will continue to receive fully functioning compounding lines on schedule for all of their project needs. Going forward, we will benefit from the continually improved efficiency and competence of our Shanghai production site, and from the close and constructive cooperation we are receiving from the experienced engineers at BASF.”