BASF (Ludwigshafen / Germany; www.basf.com) has acquired the PET foam business of Italy’s B.C.Foam (Volpiano; www.bcfoam.com) for an undisclosed sum. Along with a special extrusion process enabling production of high density, high-performance PET foams, the deal includes production facilities and intellectual property rights. The Italian company based near Turin was established in 1999 and employs 12 people.

With the addition of the B.C. Foam activities, BASF will be able to expand its position in the foams sector as well as in wind energy. The Italian company’s temperature- and chemical-resistant composites are used primarily in wind turbine rotor blades; however, they are said to be also well suited for automotive and aeronautics applications as well as shipbuilding. The plastics giant’s portfolio for wind power applications comprises epoxy and coating systems, foams, special grouting mortars and concrete additives as well as lubricants.

The wind energy industry grew by 42% in 2011, according to figures published by the German Engineering Federation VDMA (Frankfurt; www.vdma.org). Global investment in the sector was around EUR 36 bn. The main growth areas were Asia – in particular China – and North America. While the European market grew “steadily,” the US market stuttered due to cheaper natural gas prices. For Germany, VDMA predicts that wind could account for 25% of energy consumption in 2030. In 2009, German wind turbine manufacturers had already captured 17.5% of the global market.