BASF Catalysts India Private Limited (BCIL), a subsidiary of BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS), has inaugurated a new Research, Development, and Application (RD&A) lab at its site in Mahindra World City, Tamil Nadu, Chennai. The strategic investment is focused on the development of emissions control catalysts that are tailored to the unique needs of the Indian automotive market.

“This new RD&A lab will enable the development of market-specific catalyst formulations that meet the unique needs of the Indian market with agility and flexibility,” said Saeed Alerasool, Senior Vice President of RD&A for ECMS. “With this investment, ECMS is well positioned to help our customers respond to changes resulting from fuel diversification as well as stricter tailpipe emissions requirements, and ensures our readiness to support future automotive technologies.”

The opening of the new lab is a pivotal step aligned with India’s evolving automobile industry and the Indian government’s focus on diversifying fuel sources, including further adoption of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and renewable biofuels and hydrogen. This requires that local Original Equipment Manufacturers launch flex-fuel vehicles capable of running on any biofuel-gasoline mix.

Additionally, the upcoming stricter emissions requirements pose new challenges for automakers in India.

“With this new lab within our Chennai site, BCIL is able to provide end-to-end support to our customers, from initial catalyst development to final product delivery,” said Sujan Saha, Business Head India and Head of South East Asia, Mobile Emissions Catalysts. “This also enhances our local ability to cater to the specific needs of Indian customers and address their needs more quickly.”