BASF facility not affected by company production cut

Published 12:00 am Thursday, November 20, 2008

VIDALIA — The BASF facility in Vidalia has not been told to participate in the company’s worldwide production cuts.

BASF announced Wednesday it would cut worldwide production, putting 100 facilities in a slowdown and temporarily closing 80 plants until January.

Most of the production adjustments are being made in facilities that produce for the automotive, construction and textile sectors, the company said in a statement.

Email newsletter signup

The decision to decrease production was reached because of declining demand for products in those fields and because of a negative impact due to reduced credit in customer industries, the statement said.

The products that will be affected by the slowdown include those that incorporate ammonia, styrene and polyamide, which are used in the first steps of the manufacture of engineering plastics, coatings and fibers.

The Vidalia facility works with chemical catalysts, desiccants and adsorbents, and has not been notified of any change in production, BASF-Vidalia Operations Manager John Cegalis said.

“We have not heard anything at this location at all,” Cegalis said.

The Vidalia plant employs 56 people.