![Steam cracker II, the largest individual plant at BASF's Ludwigshafen site, covers a surface area of about 64,000 square meters, which is about the size of 13 soccer fields. The steam cracker is also the heart of BASF's Verbund production strategy. This giant plant has been operating since 1981 and uses steam to crack naphtha at about 850°C [1,562°F]. This process leads primarily to ethylene and propylene, both indispensable feedstocks for manufacturing numerous products in Ludwigshafen.](/api/imaging/focalarea/3x4/480x/dam/jcr%3A3e21294a-f663-3db3-9f41-686056b51abd/1.4.jpg "Steam cracker II, the largest individual plant at BASF's Ludwigshafen site, covers a surface area of about 64,000 square meters, which is about the size of 13 soccer fields. The steam cracker is also the heart of BASF's Verbund production strategy. This giant plant has been operating since 1981 and uses steam to crack naphtha at about 850°C [1,562°F]. This process leads primarily to ethylene and propylene, both indispensable feedstocks for manufacturing numerous products in Ludwigshafen.")
BASF in Greater China 2023
BASF in the Regions
Sites and Verbunds
As one of the world’s largest chemical companies, BASF is present in 93 countries. We operate 234 production sites worldwide. We laid the foundation for the Verbund concept in Ludwigshafen, Germany, in 1865 – and it remains one of our key strengths to this day. Intelligently linking and steering our Verbund plants creates efficient value chains – from basic chemicals to high value-added solutions. The Verbund enables us to manage our production in a resourceefficient, carbon-optimized and reliable way. By-products from one facility are used as feedstocks elsewhere, for example. This saves raw materials and energy, avoids emissions, lowers logistics costs and leverages synergies.
