BASF and Ji’Ning Hock Mining & Engineering Equipment Company Ltd (“Hock”) have received approval from all relevant antitrust authorities in China for the formation of BASF Hock Mining Chemical (China) Company Ltd. BASF takes a 75% majority stake in the new venture. The company will continue Hock’s existing business activities in the field of chemical injection and cavity filling products for coal mining and other underground applications.
While injection technology has been present in European markets such as Germany for the past 30 years, it was only introduced in China 10 years ago. Through chemical injection and cavity filling, substances such as polyurethanes or other construction chemicals can be introduced into fractured rock, sands, gravel or coal to avoid water or gas accumulation and stabilize cavities in tunnels. “With this investment BASF demonstrates its long term commitment to the underground construction and coal mining industry on a global basis. We will bring our best technologies to the industry in China,” said Dr. Tilman Krauch, President Construction Chemicals at BASF.