Joe Lynch, business director of the intermediates group at BASF in North America, said: "Until now, the standard commercial form of TPP has been flakes, which typically stick together in their container." BASF's pellets empty with greater ease, reducing dusting and resulting in easier, cleaner product handling, he added.
BASF also claims an increase in purity with the product, which reduces its odour, and notes that the pellets can now be handled using industry-standard flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs), also known as bulk bags, without any problems.
TPP is widely-used in API production and demand has been growing at a high rate, according to Dieter Kovar, director of marketing for the Acids and Specialty Intermediates group at BASF in Ludwigshafen, Germany. "This encouraging trend prompted BASF to double its capacity."
TPP pellets are made at a new manufacturing plant dedicated solely to this product and uses an improved process, according to BASF. It is located at the company's manufacturing site in Ludwigshafen and came on stream in January 2004.
"BASF is the only manufacturer that operates a single-line TPP plant with continuous product processing," said Kovar. This means that cross-contamination is no longer a concern, enabling the company to supply consistently high quality product, he added.
In addition to pellets, BASF markets TPP in a melt formulation, which can be pumped, making dosing easier than for a solid.
Aside from making APIs, TPP has many applications including vitamin synthesis and the manufacture of crop protection products and coatings. It is also used as a catalyst in isobutanol and n-butanol production.