BASF (Ludwigshafen / Germany; www.basf.com) has postponed indefinitely the previous plan to carve out its styrenics activities into a legally independent company on 1 January 2009 in preparation for a sale – see Plasteurope.com of 20.08.2008. A company spokesperson told Plasteurope.com that a divestment will continue to be pursued. However, she noted that “economic conditions for the styrenics business have worsened.” Plans remain unchanged to include styrenic copolymers with polystyrene in a new Plastics business unit under global management from next year.

With effect from 1 October 2008, BASF slashed its European PS output by 25%, saying that the market had shrunk in “almost all customer sectors.” – see Plasteurope.com of 19.09.2008.