Visiting the world's biggest integrated chemical factory is like visiting another world. When you don't really know what a business does it's hard to put together the an expectation of what you will see. BASF started making synthetic dies and also gases. As they grew they invented the idea of integrated chemical production. By that they mean that each chemical reaction gives off a series of outputs. Those outputs can be used for other products. By linking it all together they can produce a huge variety of things very efficiently. BASF make syrofoam, rubber, gases, dies, plastic, fertilisers and many other products. The plant at Ludwigshafen is the biggest in the world covering some 10 square kilometres! They have their own power station, own water treatment plant and own harbour. A well worth while visit. We all left a little disappointed that we did see how the management works as that is our MBA interest point but nonetheless a good insight into the company.
Afterwards Emma arrived in Mannheim so I played tour guide around the Wasserturm and we finished the night with a lovely glass of wine at what has become my favourite cafe in Mannheim, Cafe Flo.
No comments:
Post a Comment