CHINAPLAS 2018: BASF polyurethane solutions improve resilience in natural disasters

• Ultra-light utility poles bring electricity back to snow-covered Anhui city within one day
• Porous, water permeable Elastopave^® helps cities improve road safety and overcome flooding challenges
• BASF at CHINAPLAS 2018: April 24-27 at 7.2J61, National Exhibition & Convention Center, Shanghai, China

Shanghai, China – April 3, 2018 – Harsh weather in central China has demonstrated how BASF polyurethane (PU) material solutions are helping the country stay resilient in the face of natural disasters. At CHINAPLAS 2018, BASF will present the latest solutions for infrastructure in a changing climate.

A key showcase will be utility poles made with BASF’s Elastolit^® PU, enabled by its unique filament winding technology. Compared to conventional concrete utility poles, these poles are extremely lightweight and robust. The PU poles can therefore stand firm in heavy snow and strong wind as well as in other natural disasters, and are simpler and faster to install even in remote areas.

In January 2018, a large-scale snowstorm hit Anhui province in central China, located 550 meters above sea level, causing close to 250 cement utility poles to collapse and creating a power failure in the mountainous area. Responding quickly to the disaster, BASF’s partner in China, Anhui Huike Hengyuan Composite Material Company Limited (Huike), transported 40 of the utility poles made with BASF’s Elastolit^® PU up the rough terrain, each weighing just 250kg – less than a quarter the weight of a similar concrete pole. Requiring less manpower and lifting equipment compared to conventional poles, the poles were successfully installed within 20 hours. Electricity was restored to the households within a day – five days faster than if conventional poles were used. The poles have remained standing through continued severe winter weather.

BASF will also present Elastopave^® , an intelligent PU solution contributing towards China’s Sponge City initiative, which aims to overcome flooding by absorbing and re-using at least 70% of rainwater. With its water-permeable and porous structure, water drains through Elastopave easily, absorbing an estimated 4,000 liters of water per hour per square meter. This enables replenishment of aquifers, creating an improved water circulation system and, in the long run, a greener and cooler environment. Other benefits include improved road safety with fewer water puddles and aquaplaning on the highways. Elastopave has been installed, for example, on Moganshan Road along the famous West Lake in Hangzhou, China, helping support the city in its transformation into a Sponge City.

For more information on BASF at CHINAPLAS 2018, please visit www.basf.com/chinaplas or follow BASF_in_Action on WeChat.

 

About BASF in Greater China
BASF has been a committed partner to Greater China since 1885. With investments in Shanghai, Nanjing and Chongqing, BASF is a major foreign investor in China’s chemical industry, and maintains the Innovation Campus Shanghai as a global and regional research and development hub.  BASF posted sales of €7.3 billion in 2017 to customers in Greater China, and employed 8,982 people as of the end of that year. For further information, please visit www.basf.com/cn.

About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The more than 115,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of €64.5 billion in 2017. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.