Amid the general market slowdown, BASF sees huge potential in China's fast-growing auto industry, and believes it can help Chinese carmakers upgrade quality and save cost with innovative engineering resin products, Plastics News reported, citing BASF's executive.

"We are actively contacting and staying in dialogue with Chinese carmakers - SAIC, FAW, Cherry, just to name a few - and their tier-1 suppliers," said Hermann Althoff, BASF's group vice-president for engineering plastics in the Asia Pacific, at the Chinaplas show in Guangzhou.

"Despite the crisis, penetration of sophisticated engineering plastics solutions into the Chinese automobile industry is increasing," he told Plastics News. Jianghuai Auto is using BASF's Ultramid glass-fiber-reinforced nylon to make the plastic air intake manifold for its 'Refine' MPV.