Chemical company BASF Española has commissioned a new technology centre in Marchamalo (Guadalajara). Officially known as the Technology Competence Center, it will research and replicate the painting process performed in automotive factories. It will do so by taking into consideration the individual features of each production line, such as temperature, humidity and coating technology, which have a decisive influence on the end customer's own paint application process.

It cost almost 14 million euros to build the centre. The facilities meet Industry 4.0 requirements and are digitally connected to internal management and process control systems. They are also digitally connected with other BASF centres worldwide. The centre is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment for applying automotive coatings.

One hundred plants on three continents
The new centre, which is already up and running, will serve over 100 motor vehicle plants in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. These include manufacturers of plastic parts for the automotive industry. Its commissioning is part of the project to officially convert the Marchamalo plant into the strategic European centre for solvent-based enamel production.
Building it was a challenge for the company, which has installed new spray booths in the process without affecting the production flow of the existing ones, or the quality or capacity of the process. The project was also undertaken with a focus on sustainability and environmental protection, hence the installation of equipment with the highest possible energy efficiency and with an optimum degree of emissions reduction.

Spanish headquarters
The Marchamalo production site is the Spanish headquarters for the Coatings division, which specialises in OEM coatings for motor vehicles, vehicle refinishing products, decorative paints, metal and plastic surface treatments and glass substrates for a broad range of industries. Open since 1867, it was integrated into the BASF group in 1982.

The German company's facilities in the town occupy an area of 310,000 square metres and it employs around 550 people. They include two paint manufacturing plants, an intermediate resin plant, a training centre for workshops and testing, and development laboratories for the main high-tech product segments in the motor vehicle industry.

^{Photo: BASF}