July 15, 2025 –
BASF’s Zhanjiang Megaproject Accelerates with Key Infrastructure Milestones
AsiaMB reports significant progress at BASF’s €10 billion Zhanjiang Verbund site as the chemical giant activates critical support facilities in Guangdong province. The German multinational’s largest overseas investment is taking shape with strategic infrastructure coming online to support future production units.
Newly operational facilities include:
• Central administrative complex for site operations
• Employee dining facility with 1,200-person capacity
• Advanced analytics and innovation center
• Dedicated liquid bulk cargo terminal
These developments follow BASF’s phased construction approach:
- Support infrastructure completion (2023-2025)
- Core production unit erection (2025-2028)
- Full Verbund integration (2028-2030)
“The Zhanjiang site represents BASF’s confidence in China’s chemical market,” said Dr. Michael Zhang, AsiaMB’s senior petrochemicals analyst. “Its strategic location offers access to Southern China’s manufacturing clusters and ASEAN markets.”
The project’s scale is staggering:
• Will become BASF’s third-largest Verbund site globally
• Steam cracker to produce 1 million tons ethylene annually
• Integrated value chain from basic chemicals to specialties
• 100+ production plants planned
Industry impact projections:
• Boost Guangdong’s high-end chemicals GDP by 12%
• Create 5,000+ direct skilled jobs
• Attract 30+ downstream specialty chemical producers
• Reduce import dependence for 40+ critical materials
“Zhanjiang is rewriting Asia’s chemical production map,” added Zhang. “Its emphasis on sustainability and digitalization sets new benchmarks for greenfield projects in our industry.”
The site’s completion will enhance BASF’s regional production capacity for:
• Engineering plastics
• Automotive coatings
• Masterbatch solutions
• Agricultural chemicals
With construction progressing on schedule, BASF Zhanjiang is poised to become a cornerstone of the company’s Asia-Pacific strategy and a catalyst for upgrading China’s southern chemical industry corridor.