BASF (Ludwigshafen / Germany; www.basf.com) will concentrate its production of XPS (“Styrodur” extruded polystyrene) panels in Ludwigshafen by the end of 2017. The company guarantees raw material supply, optimised logistics and direct access to research and development. Current production at BASF's site in Schwarzheide / Germany will be discontinued "in the face of overcapacity and low margins" in the fourth quarter of this year.

Welding technology (for insulation panels) is still operating in Schwarzheide, but will be transferred to Ludwigshafen. According to the company, the contactless, thermal welding process enables production of thick Styrodur panels and also allows for a large number of material combinations for insulation.