BASF has inaugurated a new methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) production facility at its Geismar Verbund site in Louisiana, USA, the company announced on 11 November 2026. The investment of about USD 1 billion nearly doubles Geismar’s annual MDI capacity to about 600,000 metric tons, making BASF, by its own account, the largest MDI producer in North America.
A key raw material for polyurethanes
MDI is a key raw material for polyurethanes, which according to BASF are used in construction, appliances, transportation, automotive, footwear, furniture and other industries.
“BASF is taking the lead in MDI production in North America,” said Ramkumar Dhruva, President of BASF’s Monomer Division, adding that the investment reflects confidence in the growth of the polyurethane market and provides customers with a highly reliable, competitive and locally integrated supply source.
Three phases since 2018
Completed on schedule, the project is described as BASF’s largest wholly owned investment to date in North America. It was executed in three phases starting in 2018:
- A new MDI synthesis unit was commissioned in 2020.
- Several upstream units were expanded in 2021.
- The final phase, whose construction took about three years and ten months, added new upstream units and a splitter.
As part of the expansion, BASF also increased aniline production capacity at Geismar, creating additional availability for North American customers in the agricultural chemicals, rubber, and dyes and pigments industries.
Dr. Markus Kamieth, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE, called the investment a strong commitment to customers and to BASF’s future in the US. “The United States has long been a key market for BASF,” he said, adding that he was particularly proud the team had delivered the complex project on time and thanking everyone who made it possible.
BASF’s largest US Verbund site
Geismar is BASF’s largest Verbund site in the US. The company has more than 150 locations in 40 US states, and about 90 percent of its EUR 13.1 billion in US sales in 2025 came from products made in the country.
Sources
- BASF, “BASF inaugurates new $1 billion MDI production facility at its Geismar Verbund site”, P-26-194, 11.11.2026 — https://www.basf.com/global/en/media/news-releases/2026/11/p-26-194
Image: BASF
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