Group 1 - BASF announced a price increase of $500 per ton for Lupranate® MDI and TDI in East Asia (excluding mainland China) effective immediately or as per contract terms, due to rising raw material, transportation, and energy costs [2] - BASF also raised prices for butyl acrylate (BA) and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2-EHA) by up to $100 per ton in the Asia-Pacific region, effective immediately or according to existing contracts [2] - Invista announced a new spot trading price of 26,000 CNY per ton for Dytek® HMD effective April 1, 2026, marking increases of 4,000 CNY and 7,800 CNY compared to previous prices in March [2] - Invista's nylon 66 polymer (U4800) will have a new spot trading price of 21,600 CNY per ton effective April 1, 2026, reflecting increases of 600 CNY and 5,400 CNY from earlier in March [3] Group 2 - The Advanced Nylon Industry Innovation and Application Development Conference will take place on March 19-20, 2026, at the new headquarters of Xiaopeng Motors in Guangzhou, allowing for direct interaction with end-users [6]

Core Viewpoint - BASF's Zhanjiang integrated base has achieved significant milestones with the successful commissioning of the third butyl acrylate (BA) production unit and the performance testing of the 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2-EHA) unit, marking the full production capacity of the acrylate joint facility [2]. Group 1: Production Capacity and Milestones - The BA unit has an annual production capacity of approximately 400,000 tons, enhancing BASF's supply capabilities for adhesives, coatings, and specialty solutions [2]. - The 2-EHA unit has an annual production capacity of around 100,000 tons, specifically designed to meet critical demands in adhesives and coatings for the automotive, construction, and electronics industries [2]. - Previous advancements at the Zhanjiang base include the successful commissioning of a 1 million tons/year ethylene joint unit and a 500,000 tons/year polyethylene unit, among others [2][3]. Group 2: Integrated Base Construction - The Zhanjiang integrated base includes a steam cracking unit with an annual capacity of 1 million tons of ethylene and several downstream product production units [3]. - Additional production units at the base include 660,000 tons/year of ethylene oxide, 830,000 tons/year of ethylene glycol, and 200,000 tons/year of refined ethylene oxide, among others [3].

Group 1 - BASF has signed a framework agreement with CATL to support the development of innovative cathode materials for solid-state batteries, enhancing its local production capabilities in China [3][4] - CATL's annual shipments of energy storage batteries reached nearly 110 GWh and nearly 360 GWh for power batteries, making it the global leader in both segments with market shares of 29.5% and 37.9% respectively [3] - The collaboration with BASF is crucial for CATL to meet stringent EU battery regulations, which require comprehensive carbon footprint disclosure and a minimum recycling material ratio [4][5] Group 2 - BASF has also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Bader, focusing on low-carbon sustainable coatings, supplying butyl acrylate and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate from its Zhanjiang integrated base [8] - Bader is the largest producer of water-based emulsions and functional additives in Asia, with an annual production capacity of 1.5 million tons [8] - BASF's acrylic acid production capacity is the largest globally at 1.5 million tons per year, with the Zhanjiang facility expected to start production in 2025 [8][9]