BASF significantly expanded its dispersion production capacity at its Durban site in South Africa, reinforcing its ability to supply high-quality dispersions to customers across the region. The expansion strengthens supply reliability for industries such as architectural coatings, construction materials, and paper manufacturing, while enabling BASF to better support customers’ growth plans. By increasing output, BASF ensures consistent product availability and faster responsiveness to market demand across East, West, and Southern Africa.
New Application Laboratory Enhances Technical Support
In addition to boosting production capacity, BASF has established a modern application laboratory at the Durban site. This facility enhances the company’s technical service capabilities and allows closer collaboration with customers. As a result, BASF can now provide stronger formulation support, accelerate product development, and deliver tailored solutions that meet local market requirements. The on-site lab further strengthens the company’s customer-centric approach in the African region.
Strengthening BASF’s EMEA Dispersions Network
The Durban facility is one of six dispersion production sites within BASF’s EMEA network (Europe, Middle East and Africa). Together with manufacturing facilities across Europe and the Middle East, the site ensures proximity to customers, reliable supply chains, and faster response times to regional needs. Furthermore, BASF recently expanded capacity in Dilovasi, Türkiye, and modernized its Ludwigshafen plant in Germany. These coordinated investments enhance BASF’s overall production footprint and reinforce its position as a leading dispersions supplier across EMEA.
Dr. Jörg Niebergall, Senior Vice President, Dispersions Europe, stated, “Our investment in Durban underscores our strong commitment to the dynamic African region and our local customers. Together with the recent capacity expansion in Dilovasi, Türkiye, and the modernization of the Ludwigshafen plant, we are strengthening our position as a leading supplier of high-quality dispersions across EMEA, enhancing our capability to support our customers’ growth and innovations.”
Modernized Production and Advanced Reactor Technology
To support the capacity increase, BASF modernized its production facilities and installed a
cutting-edge reactor at the Durban plant. These upgrades improve operational efficiency, product consistency, and overall quality standards. Ruveshen Reddy, responsible for the Durban production site, said, “This expansion in Durban will increase our supply reliability and ensure excellent product quality. To achieve this, we modernized our production facilities and installed a cutting-edge reactor.”
60 Years of BASF in South Africa
In 2026, BASF celebrates 60 years of operations in South Africa. Notably, the company remains the only multinational operating a dedicated dispersions production facility in the country. This milestone highlights BASF’s long-term commitment to regional market development, local partnerships, and customer support. As per the press release, with expanded capacity, advanced technical capabilities, and a strong regional presence, BASF continues to strengthen its role in Africa’s growing coatings, construction, and paper industries.
