- Rokuromi is the first BASF site in Japan capable of producing biomass balanced acrylic dispersions
- Consumer demand for low-carbon footprint products has increased across multiple industries including paints and packaging
- The REDcert2 standard ensures that renewable raw materials used in manufacture are correctly attributed to and accounted for in the final products
According to the company’s website news release on February 21, 2023, BASF’s Rokuromi site in Japan has received REDcert2 certification after undergoing an independent third-party audit. This certification enables BASF to offer customers certified low CO2 variant dispersions via the biomass balance (BMB) approach, with identical performance to comparable fossil-based dispersions.
Manufacturers are looking to reduce their CO2 emissions to help create a better and more sustainable future. Moreover, increasing awareness among end consumers across many different industries has led to growing demand for low-carbon footprint products, especially in the paints and packaging industries. BASF’s BMB products are catering to this demand, replacing fossil feedstock with renewable raw materials at the very first stage of the chemical production process.
“We are delighted to announce that Rokuromi is the first BASF site in Japan capable of producing BMB acrylic dispersions. This is our third site under BASF’s Dispersions business unit in Asia Pacific to become BMB-certified, following our production facilities in China in 2020 and in Pasir Gudang, Malaysia in 2022. Japan is one of our key markets and Japanese consumers have a high awareness of sustainable products. And therefore, enabling our site in Japan to deliver REDcert2 certified low CO2 dispersions is a key step to better serve our customers there,” said Bir Darbar Mehta, Senior Vice President, Dispersions Asia Pacific at BASF.
Mainly supporting businesses in Japan, the Rokuromi site includes a state-of-the-art R&D laboratory and an application center as well as production facilities. It serves customers in the fields of architectural coatings, construction solution applications, and packaging. Rokuromi is a comprehensive setup that offers customers complete one-stop solutions, from innovation development to operational support. “BMB products are ideal solutions for our customers because they give them the ability to lower their CO2 footprints without compromising on quality or performance. With so many of our customers looking to reduce their CO2 emissions, we have enjoyed strong interest in our BMB product portfolio and received plenty of positive feedback,” said Tomochika Ishiyama, Business Director of BASF’s Dispersions business in Japan.
How the mass balance approach works
The mass balance approach is a chain-of-custody model that keeps track of the total amount of alternative feedstock used throughout the production process and ensures a proper attribution of this alternative feedstock to the finished goods. This enables BASF to feed a mix of renewable and fossil resources to its plants right at the beginning of the multistage production process, and to attribute the equivalent quantity of certified renewable resources to the final products sold to customers. The attribution process of the mass balance approach, along with the production site and products, are certified based on the REDcert2 standard, which is recognized throughout the EU as a certification system for sustainable use of biomass in the chemical industry. BASF is one of the first companies to have certified its BMB products according to the REDcert² standard.
The great advantage of this approach is that it allows renewable raw materials to be used within the existing production network. This means that investment in new infrastructure is not required, and the product properties remain unchanged. BASF can thus provide products to its customers that have a better environmental profile in terms of a reduced carbon footprint and thus result in a reduction in the use of fossil resources, while still retaining the same performance features as those of products made from fossil feedstock.
BASF’s Dispersions & Resins division
The Dispersions & Resins division of BASF develops, produces and markets a range of high-quality polymer dispersions, resins, additives and electronic materials worldwide. These raw materials are used in formulations for a number of industries, including coatings, construction, adhesives, printing and packaging, electronics and paper. With its comprehensive product portfolio and its extensive knowledge of the industry, the Dispersions & Resins division offers its customers innovative and sustainable solutions and helps them advance their formulations. For further information about the Dispersions & Resins division, please visit www.dispersions-resins.basf.com.
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 111,000 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 €78.6 billion in 2021. 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.
