Pak: BASF inaugurates first construction chemical plant

Karachi: The BASF has inaugurated its first construction chemical production plant in Pakistan, which would provide a stable supply of high quality products to the construction industry of the country.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the site in Landhi, Tilman Krauch, President, Regional Functions and Country Management said the plant would produce chemicals for the rapidly growing building and infrastructure segments in the country, including Lowari Tunnel. Christian Brecht, Consul General of Germany, was chief guest at the ceremony.

'I have visited Muzaffarabad and have seen the need of better construction work for rehabilitation of the quake-devastated area,' he added. Krauch said the chemical company would also open its new office in Islamabad on December 18, to serve the growing customer needs in the north of the country.

He said there was a great demand for strong buildings, schools, houses and offices in the country that could be constructed quickly and cost-effectively. Krauch said an easy availability of the high quality locally produced construction chemicals would make the country's construction industry value-added.

Mark Volmer, Group Vice President of BASF for Asia Pacific said BASF was committed to ensuring a consistent and timely supply of construction chemicals to the region. Further, he said the local production would enable BASF to respond rapidly to the increasing demand of various construction activities in the country, including roads, bridges, hydropower stations, dams, tunnels, industrial facilities, commercial and residential buildings.

He said the company was currently supporting major construction projects throughout the country, most prominently the Lowari Tunnel project. Besides facilitating an all-weather transportation, the 8-kilometer long tunnel would also reduce the 14-hour drive from mineral-rich Chitral to Peshawar by half.

The long-awaited tunnel with an investment of Rs 8 billion, which is approximately 79 million Euro was expected to be completed in 2009, he added.

Addressing the gathering, German Consul General, Christian Brecht said besides dealing with the current challenges, Pakistan should also focus on development works, which ultimately would enable it to come out of the crisis.

The plant will formulate a broad range of product systems that range from concrete admixtures, to alkali free accelerators for underground construction, waterproofing systems, precision grouting systems, concrete repair systems and protective flooring systems, Quazi Sajid, managing director of BASF Pakistan said.