BASF’s Ludwigshafen plant spans 10 km² and produces 100+ chemical products, including plastics, fertilizers, and specialty chemicals. The plant’s legacy control systems, installed in the early 2000s, were responsible for monitoring and controlling 50+ reactor systems, 200+ storage tanks, and 300+ km of pipelines. The outdated infrastructure presented significant safety, operational, and compliance challenges:
- Slow Process Response Endangers Safety: The legacy control systems had a response time of 500+ milliseconds, delaying the adjustment of critical process parameters (temperature, pressure, flow rate) during chemical reactions. This led to 8-10 safety near-misses annually, including 2 minor explosions in 2031, and required 15-20 emergency shutdowns per year—costing €6.8 million in lost production.
- Poor Fault Detection Increases Downtime: The old systems lacked real-time fault monitoring capabilities, making it difficult to detect leaks, equipment malfunctions, and process deviations early. This resulted in 25-30 unplanned downtime incidents annually, with an average duration of 8 hours, and €12.5 million in annual revenue losses.
- Limited Compliance Capabilities: The legacy systems couldn’t automatically log and report process data required for compliance with EU REACH and US EPA regulations. Manual data recording was required for 40% of parameters, leading to a 5.2% data entry error rate and a €2.1 million fine in 2030 for non-compliance.
- Inadequate Cybersecurity Protection: The old systems lacked modern cybersecurity features, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks. A ransomware attack in 2031 disrupted production for 3 days, causing €4.3 million in losses and highlighting critical security gaps.
“Safety and compliance are non-negotiable in chemical manufacturing—any control system failure can have catastrophic consequences for workers, the environment, and our business,” said Dr. Martin Weber, BASF Ludwigshafen Plant Manager. “Our legacy control systems were too slow, unreliable, and insecure to meet the rigorous demands of modern chemical production. We needed a high-reliability control device that could ensure fast process response, early fault detection, regulatory compliance, and robust cybersecurity.”
ABB REX521GHHGSH51G: Safe, Reliable Control for Chemical Processes
After evaluating solutions from Emerson and Yokogawa, BASF selected the ABB REX521GHHGSH51G control device for its ultra-fast response time, advanced fault detection, built-in compliance tools, and enterprise-grade cybersecurity. Key features addressing BASF’s pain points include:
- Ultra-Fast Process Response: The ABB REX521GHHGSH51G delivers a response time of <5 milliseconds, enabling real-time adjustment of critical process parameters during chemical reactions. This minimizes the risk of process deviations and emergency shutdowns, enhancing operational safety.
- Advanced Fault Detection & Diagnostics: Equipped with AI-powered process monitoring algorithms, the control device detects leaks, equipment malfunctions, and process deviations within seconds. It provides real-time alerts to operators and recommends corrective actions, reducing unplanned downtime by 70%.
- Regulatory Compliance Automation: The device automatically logs and reports 100% of process parameters required for EU REACH, US EPA, and other global regulations. It generates audit-ready reports and ensures data integrity with tamper-proof logging, eliminating manual data entry errors and compliance fines.
- Enterprise-Grade Cybersecurity: The REX521GHHGSH51G features built-in firewall protection, encryption (AES-256), and secure remote access capabilities, complying with IEC 62443 cybersecurity standards. It continuously monitors for cyber threats and automatically isolates compromised components to prevent attack spread.
- Redundant Design for Maximum Reliability: The control device includes dual redundant processors, power supplies, and communication ports, ensuring 99.99% operational availability. Even in the event of a component failure, the system switches to backup seamlessly without process disruption.
Results: Safer Operations, Higher Reliability, Lower Costs
Six months after deploying the ABB REX521GHHGSH51G control device, BASF’s Ludwigshafen plant achieved significant operational improvements:
| Metric |
Before ABB REX521GHHGSH51G |
After ABB REX521GHHGSH51G |
Improvement |
| Process Reliability |
99.2% |
99.99% |
0.79% Improvement (70 Fewer Downtime Hours Annually) |
| Annual Safety-Related Incidents |
8-10 |
1-2 |
88% Reduction |
| Annual Unplanned Downtime |
200-240 Hours |
60-80 Hours |
70% Reduction |
| Data Entry Error Rate |
5.2% |
0% |
100% Elimination |
| Annual Compliance-Related Costs |
€3.5 Million |
€1.2 Million |
66% Reduction |
“The ABB REX521GHHGSH51G control device has redefined safety and reliability at our Ludwigshafen plant,” Dr. Weber said. “We’ve achieved near-perfect process reliability, and the reduction in safety incidents has made our facility a benchmark for the chemical industry. The device’s compliance automation has also eliminated the risk of fines and simplified our audit processes, allowing us to focus on production efficiency.”
Thomas Becker, ABB’s Global Process Automation Manager, commented: “Chemical plants require control systems that deliver absolute reliability, safety, and compliance. The ABB REX521GHHGSH51G is designed to meet the unique challenges of chemical manufacturing, helping producers enhance safety, reduce downtime, and ensure compliance with global regulations.”
BASF plans to deploy the ABB REX521GHHGSH51G control device across 18 additional chemical plants worldwide by 2036, targeting 99.99% process reliability group-wide and a 80% reduction in safety-related incidents.
Wolfsburg, Germany – June 2032 – Volkswagen Group, a global leader in automotive manufacturing, has achieved a 40% increase in production line efficiency and a 35% reduction in process errors at its Wolfsburg factory after deploying the ABB REX521GHHGSH51G control device. The upgrade, completed in Q2 2032, replaced the factory’s outdated control systems, which struggled with slow response times, poor integration with advanced robotics, and limited real-time data analytics—critical bottlenecks for the production of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid models.
