BASF risk factors

BASF therefore aims to harness the changing business environment and achieve sustainable, profitable growth. However, operating successfully in an emerging and highly dynamic market also requires careful evaluation of the risks that could endanger that success. BASF therefore analyzes several key risk factors in China on a regular basis. The most prominent ones at present are the development of ... 

Overall, BASF believes that the risk of missing out on opportunities is far larger than market risks. We are convinced that Greater China will continue to be an important growth engine for BASF in Asia Pacific. It represents a key success factor in ensuring that BASF remains the world s leading chemical company, that BASF remains - The Chemical Company. 

In terms of sustainability, the process starting from propene would be preferable, since it avoids the risks connected with the use of HCN in the butadiene route, even if produced on demand. However, the butadiene route to produce adiponitrile (ADN) is more cost-effective, owing to the need to use an electrochemical reaction for acrylonitrile dimerization. The problem of cost, however, is highly dependent on several factors, including sensitivity to natural gas prices (which influences butadiene cost), the market for acrylonitrile, and soon. The acrylonitrile route is used by Solutia, BASF and Asahi Kasei. New plants to make caprolactam, using ADN as intermediate, are under construction in Asia. 

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