Rooted in the Innovation R&D Hub, Injecting New Momentum for Green Development into the Mortar Industry!

On March 27–28, 2025, Mr. Hong Liang, General Manager of Longhu Technology, led a delegation to Trosberg, Germany, to attend the Distribution Dialogue 2025 held at the headquarters of BASF Construction Additives GmbH. Mr. Peter Eder, General Manager of BASF Construction Additives GmbH, warmly welcomed the Longhu Technology team.

During the conference, Mr. Hong Liang and Mr. Martin Pichler, Marketing Director of BASF Construction Additives GmbH, discussed future cooperation prospects.

Mr. Peter Eder, General Manager of BASF Construction Additives GmbH, extended a warm welcome on behalf of the company to the 65 distributor representatives from 35 countries.

Mr. Martin Pichler, Marketing Director of BASF Construction Additives GmbH, chaired the conference and opened the Dialogue journey.

In the classroom session, the Longhu Technology team, together with 65 distributor representatives from 35 countries, attentively listened to BASF's expert PhDs as they introduced their meticulously developed revolutionary new products. The participants raised various questions of interest and experienced the remarkable properties of these new products firsthand in the laboratory, gaining an up-close appreciation of the charm and prowess of this global industry leader, while collectively focusing on future priorities and goals.

Conference Highlight 1:

As early as 2019, in response to the impact of the surging price of lithium carbonate (a raw material for lithium batteries) on the building materials industry, BASF pioneered the development of an alternative solution to lithium carbonate in ternary system self-leveling compounds. Through continuous exploration and experimentation by the R&D team, BASF successfully developed a solution system that significantly reduces the amount of lithium carbonate required, achieving its first sale by the end of 2023. The key to this solution lies in the newly launched optimal combination of Melflux® SELECT 6030 F + Hycon® R 3660 F. This solution reduces the dosage of cementitious materials, thereby lowering overall cost and reducing the carbon footprint. This combination is suitable for both high-alumina systems and sulfoaluminate systems, and can be used not only in self-leveling compounds but also in tile adhesives, enabling a wide range of material selection, flexible formulation, and controllable costs. This solution further unlocks the latent potential of ordinary Portland cement — a truly significant and far-reaching advancement.

Conference Highlight 2:

During the conference, BASF's R&D personnel unveiled to all representatives a new generation of water-absorbing swellable polymer powder — Starvis® S 2100 F. In mortar applications, this product offers greater water retention capacity than its predecessor, Starvis® S 3911. Its spherical particle design achieves unique rheological properties through a "sponge effect," improving workability and reducing pumping pressure. It provides internal curing effects, extending open time under harsh conditions and reducing plastic shrinkage. After the mortar hardens, small spherical cavities formed inside improve freeze-thaw resistance and enhance carbonation resistance.

Conference Highlight 3:

In terms of sustainability and biomass-balanced products, BASF's recent polycarboxylate superplasticizers — Melflux® 4930 F, 6681 F, and 5581 F — are third-party certified products. They significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining performance and quality, offering a straightforward solution for achieving climate goals.

Conference Highlight 4:

To address the issue of mortar cracking, BASF has launched Curestar® ICA 5920 F, an internal curing agent that reduces plastic shrinkage by controlling the rate of water evaporation during the early drying stage of mortar, and Curestar® SRA 8710 F, a shrinkage-reducing agent that resists drying shrinkage during the hardening process of mortar.

In the laboratory, the Longhu Technology team experienced firsthand the excellent performance of BASF's new products in mortar applications and engaged in face-to-face discussions with their R&D personnel.

Though the session lasted only a day and a half, it was packed with valuable insights and a tremendous volume of information — a truly mind-expanding experience of deep brainstorming. The gathering may have been brief, but the cooperation is long-lasting. The smiles shared by all fully reflect everyone's confidence and high expectations for the future: to grow together with BASF, to truly become a leader in construction additives, and to inject new momentum for green development into the mortar industry!