In the U.S.: BASF Begins Operations at New MDI Plant

Geismar Campus BASF Begins Operations at New MDI Plant

2026-11-12 Source: Press release Melanie Ehrhardt | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

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BASF is expanding its presence in the U.S.: A new MDI production facility has been commissioned in Geismar. The chemical company has invested approximately $1 billion in the project.

New MDI Plant at BASF's Geismar Complex (Louisiana, USA)(Bild: BASF) — New MDI Plant at BASF's Geismar Complex (Louisiana, USA)
(Bild: BASF)

BASF officially commissioned its new production facility for methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) at its Geismar integrated site in Louisiana with a ceremony. With this inauguration, BASF’s largest investment project to date in North America—undertaken without a joint venture partner—was completed on schedule. The total investment amounts to approximately 1 billion U.S. dollars and will nearly double the annual MDI production capacity at the Geismar site to about 600,000 metric tons.

“The United States has long been a key market for BASF. This $1 billion investment sends a strong signal to our customers and, at the same time, to our future here,” said Dr. Markus Kamieth, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE.

MDI is an important raw material for the production of polyurethanes. The additional production capacity in Geismar is intended to support the long-term growth of BASF’s customers in application areas such as construction, household appliances, transportation, automotive, footwear, and furniture, as well as in other industries that use polyurethanes.

Leading Position in MDI Production

“This investment demonstrates our confidence in the continued growth of the polyurethane market. At the same time, we are ensuring that our customers benefit in the long term from an extremely reliable, competitive, and locally integrated supply source. With this expansion, BASF is assuming the leading position in MDI production in North America,” said Ramkumar Dhruva, President of BASF’s Monomers division.

The project has been implemented in three phases since 2018:

A new MDI synthesis plant began operations in 2020.
In 2021, several upstream production facilities were expanded.
The final phase included new upstream facilities as well as a splitter.

As part of the expansion, BASF has also increased its aniline production capacity in Geismar. According to the company, this move strengthens the site’s integrated value chain and ensures greater product availability for North American customers in the crop protection, rubber, and dyes and pigments sectors.

BASF: 150 locations in 40 U.S. states

Geismar, Louisiana, is home to BASF’s largest integrated site in the United States. Overall, the German chemical company has a strong local presence in the United States, with more than 150 sites in 40 states. In 2025, approximately 90 percent of its revenue of 13.1 billion euros came from products manufactured in the United States.

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Date: 08.12.2025

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