Gulf Construction Online - BASF showcases innovative products

UAE Focus

BASF’s stand at WFES ... impressive.

BASF showcases innovative products

01 March 2009

BASF Construction Chemicals UAE, a division of one of the world’s leading chemical companies, has been aggressively promoting its innovative products at exhibitions in the region, having launched work on a new manufacturing facility in Dubai.

At the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) held in Abu Dhabi recently, the company presented its range of sustainable construction concepts while at the Gulfood 2009 exhibition held in Dubai last month it put the spotlight on its proven polyurethane concrete overlay system Ucrete.
The company has an extensive portfolio of innovative energy-efficient products and systems, and at the WFES held in January it focused on methods that can cost-efficiently reduce energy consumption during the construction and use of buildings, cut carbon emissions and increase living comfort.
These products and system solutions are modified to suit local construction industry requirements, architectural traditions and climate.
Says Dr Bernhard Hofmann, head of BASF’s Construction Chemicals division:
“Chemical innovations substantially increase the energy efficiency of buildings in all climate zones and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We thus aim to offer our customers the best concepts, economically and ecologically.”
According to Dr Thomas Weber, managing director of BASF Future Business, BASF spends approximately one-third of its research and development budget on projects that help to use energy efficiently and thus protect the environment.
“Some of the solutions that make it possible to generate and store energy more efficiently or that reduce energy consumption include plasticisers sold under the brand name Glenium Sky,” says Dr Weber.
Glenium Sky was one of the various products that were promoted at the WFES.
Elaborating on the product, he says: “Glenium Sky plasticisers preserve the quality of concrete during transport, make concrete easier to process at the building site due to enhanced fluidity, and produce concrete structures that have high strength and a long lifespan. In addition, Glenium Sky reduces carbon emissions by up to 60 per cent during concrete manufacture.
“Adding Glenium Sky to concrete allows the use of cement types containing high amounts of carbon neutral supplementary cementitious materials, replacing clinker, which is manufactured in a highly carbon-intensive process. Using Rheomatrix admixtures in combination with Glenium Sky saves even more energy. The admixtures give the concrete self-compacting properties that eliminate the need for high-energy compaction by machine.”
Other products showcased at the event included:
• Elastopor H and Elastopir, which help enhance insulation of buildings;
• Neopor, an innovative insulation of building exteriors, roofs and floors which has inbuilt infrared absorbents and reflectors;
• Senergy external insulation finishing systems (EIFS);
• Paliogen, Lumogen, and Sicopal, which are black pigments for reducing surface heat; and
• Micronal PCM, which is a latent heat storage material that enables better indoor climate control.
Meanwhile at the Gulfood 2009 Exhibition, BASF Construction Chemicals exhibited Ucrete, a polyurethane concrete overlay system that has been used by the food industry for over 35 years.
Ucrete floors are said to be tough, resistant to a wide spectrum of aggressive chemicals, and are able to withstand temperatures between -40 deg C and 130 deg C.
Ucrete’s specification is endorsed by many international companies in the food industry worldwide.
“As a reliable partner to virtually all industries, BASF’s intelligent system solutions and high-value products help its customers to be more successful,” says Ian Smith, BASF performance flooring manager.
BASF is currently setting up a new manufacturing facility over a 25,000 sq m site in Techno Park, Jebel Ali, Dubai, to ensure a stable supply of high-quality products across the Middle East. The first phase, expected to be completed early next year, includes warehousing and admixture production facilities covering 3,000 sq m and offices, staff and engineering facilities over 1,500 sq m. The second phase to support the admixture business is planned to be launched on completion of Phase One.
“It was clear we could not continue to increase production for both admixture systems and construction systems at our existing Dubai site,” explains Steve Dyball, regional operations manager BASF Construction Chemicals for the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia regions. “Our new plant will put BASF in a stronger position to serve the need of the Middle East market for the latest technology in construction chemicals,” he adds.
“With a successful manufacturing presence in the Middle East stretching back 30 years, the opening of this plant marks a key step in our long-term commitment to this market,” says John Sarkis, general manager for BASF Construction Chemicals UAE. “The easy availability of our high-quality construction chemicals, produced locally in Dubai, will add value to the construction industry and provide a consistent and timely supply across the Middle East.”