Dr. Markus Kamieth, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at BASF SE, said: “The extraordinary progress at our Zhanjiang Verbund site represents a major step forward in BASF’s local-for-local production approach. In the mid to long-term, the Zhanjiang Verbund site will play a pivotal role in strengthening BASF’s core businesses and driving sustainable growth across key markets.”
With several downstream plants now operational, the new capacities will enhance BASF’s ability to meet rising market demand in China and across the Asia Pacific region, serving customers in a variety of industries.
Haryono Lim, President of Mega Projects Asia at BASF, added: “By leveraging the latest technologies and applying the highest safety standards, our Zhanjiang Verbund site is strategically positioned to deliver high-quality, low-carbon-footprint chemical products to rapidly growing markets. The production of the first products from the core of the Verbund lays a solid foundation for the site’s start-up as of the end of 2025.”
BASF first announced the Zhanjiang Verbund site in July 2018. Construction of the initial plants began in 2020, and in July 2022, the company made the final investment decision for the main construction phase, which includes the core of the Verbund. This core encompasses a steam cracker with a capacity of 1 million tons per year of ethylene, along with several downstream plants producing petrochemicals, intermediates, and other products.
According to BASF’s Capital Market Update in October 2025, construction at the Zhanjiang site is progressing on schedule and below budget. Total capital expenditures for the project are expected to reach approximately €8.7 billion.
The Zhanjiang Verbund site reflects BASF’s commitment to expanding production capabilities locally while maintaining high standards of safety and sustainability. Its integrated approach combines upstream and downstream production within a single site, enabling efficiency, reduced emissions, and a reliable supply of chemical products to fast-growing regional markets.
The site’s start of production marks a significant step for BASF in serving the growing demand in China and the broader Asia Pacific region, providing a foundation for future expansion and long-term growth in the chemical industry. The completion of the core of the Verbund by the end of 2025 positions BASF to meet evolving market needs while reinforcing its presence in one of the world’s largest chemical markets.
