24.01.2012

BASF to Sell Share in JV PEC-Rhin to GPN

BASF has signed a contract to sell its 50%-share in PEC-Rhin in Ottmarsheim, France, to its joint venture partner GPN, a member of the French Total Group. PEC-Rhin produces CAN/AN (calcium ammonium nitrate/ammonium nitrate) fertilizers and the respective intermediates, ammonia and nitric acid. The company was established in 1966 and currently has about 180 employees. more20.01.2012

German Farm Group Regrets BASF's GMO Move To U.S.

Germany's giant association of farming cooperatives said it regretted the decision by BASF to transfer its research into crops with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) from Germany to the United States and other countries. more20.01.2012

BASF To Spend €1 Billion On German TDI Plant For Foams

BASF plans to invest €1 billion at its German headquarters to boost its polyurethane foam chemicals capacity, expecting long-term growth in demand from makers of cars and furniture. The world's largest chemicals company said on Tuesday it would build a plant with an annual capacity of 300,000 tonnes of toluene di-isocyanate (TDI), a precursor chemical for producing the plastic foams that go into car seats, cushions and sports shoes. more15.12.2011

Changes in the Board of Executive Directors of BASF

The Supervisory Board of BASF SE today appointed Wayne T. Smith (51) to the Board of Executive Directors effective April 27, 2012. Smith, an American, is currently head of BASF's Polyurethanes division headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. After 15 successful years on the Board of Executive Directors, Dr. Stefan Marcinowski (58) will retire with the expiration of his contract following the Annual Meeting. more14.12.2011

Chinese Chemical Industry Trends

Chinese Overview - Throughout the year 2011, we covered several aspects of the chemical industry in China, ranging from R&D cooperation to strategy development and the tendency of mu more13.12.2011

Saudi Arabia: Rise of a Global Chemical Hub

Changing World - With its bounty of oil reserves, Saudi Arabia has established itself as a major player in the worldwide petrochemicals market. The country's largest public company, SABIC, has joined the ranks of the world's top 10 chemical companies, thanks largely in part to its secure access to affordable feedstock.

However, the country knows that its feedstock advantage is a finite one; with the Saudi Downstream Initiative, it hopes to compete higher in the value chain through specialty and performance chemicals.
more09.12.2011

Dr. Rainer Griesshammer on the Importance of Life Cycle Analysis for Chemical Companies

Great Benefit - The assessment of sustainability is widely discussed, yet sustainability analysis already provides a great benefit for companies. Dr. Andrea Gruss talked about this with Dr. Rainer Griesshammer, member of the executive board at the Öko-Institut in Freiburg, Germany. CHEManager Europe: How can we analyze sustainability of a chemical product? more30.11.2011

BASF Ups 2020 Sales Goal to €115 Billion

German chemicals company BASF raised its 2020 sales target a quarter to €115 billion, banking on population growth in emerging markets to drive demand. BASF, the world's largest chemical company by sales, said it expected earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) to reach €23 billion by 2020, helped by cost-cutting and growing sales in emerging markets. more10.11.2011

Arkema Q3 Sales Volumes Down 4%

French specialty chemicals group Arkema revealed a near 4% fall in third quarter sales volumes on Wednesday, showing how tough times could lie ahead for the industrial sector in Europe. more09.11.2011

BASF Applies for EU Approval for Fortuna GM Potato

BASF has applied for European Union approval for Fortuna, a potato genetically modified to resist a common plant disease, as the German chemicals company tries again to overcome resistance in the region to GM food. The world's largest chemical maker by sales said on Monday it had asked for clearance for Fortuna, covering commercial cultivation and consumption by humans and animals. more