Company Announcement - BASF yesterday inaugurated its new production plant for concrete admixtures in Lagos, Nigeria. The production site is BASF’s answer to the increasing demand for construction chemicals in western Africa. BASF produces standard and custom-made performance concrete additives, so-called admixtures, from the company’s comprehensive Master Builders® Solutions portfolio. “We are now able to rapidly supply our customers with admixtures for all cement and aggregate types, whether their construction projects are located in the urban areas of western Africa or in more remote sites,” said Nair Narayanan, Country Manager for BASF Construction Chemicals, West Africa.

“We as experts in construction chemistry are where our customers need us with the foremost aim to fulfil the many needs and requirements of the industry in Nigeria, and then to further expand the business to export to neighboring west African countries such as Ghana, Liberia, Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso and the Ivory Coast”, added Mr. Narayanan.

BASF’s admixtures enable the production of concrete that is stronger and more durable while also increasing its workability retention. This leads to faster setting and hardening and thus accelerating the construction progress. This helps to reduce the total costs of ownership. The new facility also allows for tailor-made products for local customers in order to meet their specific needs. “Fast and flexible solutions based on the daily and future needs of the construction industry in Western Africa are our contribution to the region’s economic progress”, said Christian Geierhaas, regional head of BASF’s Construction Chemicals division. “Our clear aim is to support the local industry by reducing imports, thereby minimizing the long lead times for supplies and other transport related issues, while supporting the economic growth of the region by creating employment opportunities”, he said.

Africa – a vivid role in growth strategy
Nigeria is a particularly dynamic growing market for construction chemicals in West Africa. “Growth in emerging markets is an integral component of BASF’s ‘We create chemistry’ strategy,” said Laurent Tainturier, BASF Senior Vice President Europe East, CIS, Middle East and Africa. “This new production facility will strengthen the product portfolio in the region, and, while meeting the demands for the broader construction industry, it will also introduce the company’s expertise in world leading technology into the region such as energy efficiency in construction techniques,” he said.

The new production site in Lagos is a further step to strengthen the global network of the Master Builders Solutions brand. The solutions offered by the brand will also strongly benefit contractors from other regions doing construction projects in West Africa, as they may already know the product portfolio and technologies. Solutions from BASF also help to comply with energy efficiency certifications for buildings such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) by the U.S. Green Building Council.

BASF has been actively selling construction chemicals to the western African market for more than 20 years. Other production sites in Africa are located in Westonaria, South Africa; Algiers, Algeria; Sadat City, Egypt, Casablanca, Morocco, and Nairobi, Kenya. Among the rich history of successful construction projects in Africa in which solutions and expertise of Master Builders Solutions were included, are the Lekki-Ikoyi-Bridge in Lagos, Nigeria, the East-West Highway in Algeria and the De Hoop Dam in South Africa. Global lighthouse projects with Master Builders Solutions include: Burj Khalifa, Dubai; Freedom Tower, New York City, USA; Second Penang Bridge, Malaysia; Gotthard Base Tunnel, Switzerland.