Group sales in Spain rose 12% last year, when average growth in the sector stood at 3.2%.

The multinational BASF has confirmed its commitment to its site in Tarragona, the largest that the company has in Southern Europe, with an investment of 21 million euros to open a new line in the agrochemical plant. The new production centre will be operational by the end of 2016 and will involve the creation of 30 new jobs.

The announcement of this new plant involves expanding the production of liquid fungicides in Tarragona – where more than 60 varieties of the producers are currently manufactured – by 25%. Beyond the investment, one of the most important in recent years, the head of BASF’s activities in Southern Europe and CEO of BASF in Spain, Erwin Rauhe, emphasizes the strategic commitment of the company, which has plants in 80 countries, to this site, “It means that in Tarragona we have the know-how, a highly qualified workforce, and we have the ability to continue growing; the fact that the latest generation of crop protection products is manufactured here is a feat for our Spanish plant”.

The announcement of the new investment coincides with the publication of the results of BASF Spain in 2014, when sales reached 1,194 million euros (they were 1,069 million in 2013). The 12% increase is significantly higher than the sector overall which was 3.2% according to the Spanish Federation of Chemical Industries (Feique).

The business of the Coatings division, dedicated mainly to the production of paints and coatings for the automotive industry has meant a major contribution to this growth. “These results are explained in part by the recovery in consumption and increased domestic demand and the upward trend in industries such as the automotive industry”, explained Rauhe. It has resulted in increased sales in the domestic market thus reaching figures very similar to those recorded in 2008, before the crisis.

Source and photo: La Vanguardia