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BASF opts for sustainable glass fiber in its Ultramid^® A&B portfolio

BASF, the world's leading chemical company, is committed to a sustainable future and has set itself the ambitious goal of reducing its Scope 3.1 emissions by 15% across its entire portfolio by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050. This is only possible by procuring raw materials with reliable PCF (Product Carbon Footprint) primary data and, furthermore, raw materials with a reduced PCF.

One of the first steps is the partial use of glass fibers from sustainable production in BASF’s Ultramid^® A & B compound portfolio. These glass fibers are produced by 3B Fibreglass, a leading company and supplier of glass fiber solutions for the reinforcement of thermoplastic and thermoset polymers. To reduce its carbon footprint, it uses green electricity in production.

“Over the years, 3B has put a lot of effort into reducing its carbon footprint, as part of our sustainability strategy and commitment to becoming carbon neutral. In addition to technical innovations within our processes, we have introduced more and more renewables in our mix. At our Battice site in Belgium, we have installed solar panels for the direct production of electricity and have green energy purchasing agreements in place. This enables the company to significantly reduce its carbon emissions, thus helping to reduce the carbon footprint throughout the value chain,” Ludovic Piraux, 3B CEO, explains.

The glass fiber industry has set itself the ambitious goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2050. By producing glass fibers with green electricity from January 1, 2024, 3B is taking a big step in the right direction. Much like on the mass balance principle, the green electricity used in production is attributed to BASF's glass fiber products.

By using such sustainably produced glass fiber, the PCF of BASF glass fiber reinforced products can be reduced by about 10%, corresponding to savings of about 5000 metric tons of carbon per year. This equates to the annual emissions of 200 average German households.

In this way, the two raw material suppliers 3B and BASF are successfully joining forces to strengthen the industry in Europe in the long term. By sourcing sustainable glass fiber, BASF is actively helping to reduce environmental impact and enhance sustainability throughout the supply chain.

“BASF has emerged as a frontrunner in the sustainability sector by taking multiple measures. By using glass fibers produced by 3B with green electricity, BASF is underlining its commitment to mitigating climate change. Furthermore, this is one more step in reducing BASF’s Scope 3.1 emissions. BASF's use of glass fibers in various durable applications also contributes to sustainability in the customer industries, as Ultramid^® compounds are especially valued for their durability, strength and versatility. This example marks another milestone on our plastics journey toward a more sustainable future,” says Maximilian Lehenmeier, Sustainability Expert at BASF.

 

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €68.9 billion in 2023. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.

 

About BASF’s Performance Materials division

BASF’s Performance Materials division is at the forefront of the much-needed sustainability transformation in plastics. Our products are co-created with customers around the globe to bring innovations to major industry sectors such as transportation, consumer goods, industrial applications, and construction. Our R&D focuses on all stages of the plastics journey: Make, Use and Recycle. The MAKE phase is about improving how plastics are made, from product design to the choice of raw materials and the manufacturing process itself. The USE phase enhances plastics’ strengths such as light weight, robustness, and thermal resistance. At the end of the product lifecycle, the RECYCLE phase looks at how to close the loop to achieve a circular economy. In 2023, the Performance Materials division achieved global sales of €7.2 billion. Join #ourplasticsjourney at:
www.performance-materials.basf.com

 

About 3B

3B-Fibreglass develops and manufactures glass fibre products for the reinforcement of thermoplastic and thermoset polymers. Through its 3 manufacturing facilities (Belgium, Norway, India) and dedicated R&D Centre, 3B supplies value creating, innovative glass fibre solutions for sustainable automotive, construction and wind applications.  3B’s extensive glass product portfolio includes E-CR dry-used chopped strands, wet-used chopped strands, direct rovings, continuous filament mats, chopped strand mats and choppable rovings, as well as high modulus direct rovings (HiPer-tex®). More information: www.3b-fibreglass.com  

 

 

Press contact at BASF                                      Press contact at 3B

Dr. Julia Endres                                                    Nadia Paulis

E-mail: julia.endres@basf.com                         E-Mail: nadia.paulis@3b-fibreglass.com

Phone: +49 (0) 1609 6775641                              Phone:+32 (0) 476 356612

 

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