BASF and Greentech establish joint laboratory to drive innovation in sustainable synthetic leather development

• New research facility will develop more efficient and sustainable synthetic leather manufacturing processes
• BASF’s innovative solutions will improve durability and appearance of synthetic leather

BASF and Greentech, a renowned Chinese synthetic leather manufacturer, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch a joint laboratory for synthetic leather development. Housed in Greentech’s research hub in Suzhou, East China’s Jiangsu province, the new facility will focus on making the manufacture of synthetic leather more efficient and sustainable with BASF’s innovative solutions. The facility will also serve as a platform for two companies to develop prototypes that can be commercialized for various applications.

The joint laboratory builds on the long-term collaboration between the two companies. BASF will focus on technical know-how, product development, and production of polyurethane solutions, while Greentech will be responsible for the research and development of synthetic leather for a wide variety of industries, such as automotive, fast moving consumer goods, and furniture.

“The widespread use of synthetic leather in everyday products and the quest for eco-friendly materials have led to increasing demand for more innovative and sustainable synthetic leather manufacturing processes. Since 2014, we have worked with Greentech to enhance the performance and development of synthetic leather. Through in-depth technology exchange, we have created many state-of-the-art synthetic leather solutions. We will continue to accelerate our efforts to enhance the quality, texture, and appearance of synthetic leather,” said Mr. Manfred Pawlowski, Head, Consumer Industry, Performance Materials Asia Pacific, BASF.

BASF recently made significant improvements to the synthetic leather manufacturing techniques with the introduction of non-organic solvent tops made without the use of organotin. These are also complimentary with water-based top coat – a solution that is integral to the production process.

“We approached BASF for collaboration as we wanted to tap into their expertise in developing sustainable synthetic leather without the use of organotin or other solvent based technologies. Through the joint research facility with BASF, we hope that we can develop breakthrough innovations that meet and exceed our customers’ expectations for the new generation of synthetic leather,” said Mr. Gao Jingang, Chairman, Suzhou Greentech Material Co. Ltd.

About BASF’s Performance Materials division

BASF’s Performance Materials division encompasses the entire materials know-how of BASF regarding innovative, customized plastics under one roof. Globally active in four major industry sectors – transportation, construction, industrial applications and consumer goods – the division has a strong portfolio of products and services combined with a deep understanding of application-oriented system solutions. Key drivers of profitability and growth are our close collaboration with customers and a clear focus on solutions. Strong capabilities in R&D provide the basis to develop innovative products and applications. In 2018, the Performance Materials division achieved global sales of €7.65 billion. More information online: www.plastics.basf.com

About BASF in Greater China

BASF has been a committed partner to Greater China since 1885. With larger production sites in Shanghai, Nanjing, and Chongqing, BASF is a major foreign investor in the country’s chemical industry, and operates the Innovation Campus Shanghai, a global and regional research and development hub. BASF posted sales of over €7.3 billion in 2018 to customers in Greater China, and employed
9,317 people as of the end of that year. For further information, please visit www.basf.com/cn/en

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 122,000 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 six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €63 billion in 2018. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.