BASF Expands Printing Systems Group

BASF expands Printing Systems group in North America

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - May 21, 2001 - BASF's Printing Systems business unit, one of the world leaders in photopolymer printing plates and inks for the packaging industry, announced today it opened a new Technical Center in Charlotte, N.C., to serve the North American market. Located at 2401 Whitehall Park Drive, Suite 100, the new BASF center is just 10 miles south of uptown Charlotte and 15 minutes from the airport.

"The Charlotte site significantly strengthens our global position as a major supplier to the printing and packaging industry by bringing BASF closer to its customers," said Michael Stumpp, Group Vice President, Colorants. "BASF Printing Systems' presence in North America will ensure a fast and reliable supply of printing plates and inks, as well as enhance our customer support services, to the graphic arts industry."

The Technical Center opened earlier this year and houses a full installation of platemaking equipment for flexographic and letterpress plates, as well as a technical service laboratory for plates and inks. The Technical Center is used for presentations and training customers on printing plates and platemaking equipment. The Charlotte facility is the central location for BASF Printing Systems' sales, technical and marketing support groups in North America.

"BASF can offer the individualized technical service and support that graphic arts customers require," said Pat Janssen, General Manager, Printing Systems. "BASF's vast resources and knowledge in the graphic arts and related industries enable us to find innovative and effective solutions for our customers."

In North America, BASF Printing Systems offers a full line of photopolymer printing plates, platemaking equipment and printing inks. The company's nyloflex®, nyloprint®, nylograv™, nylocoat™ and digiflex™ printing plates for digital imaging are used in flexo, letterpress and gravure print applications, as well as coating applications for sheetfed offset presses. Complementing its line of printing plates, BASF Printing Systems also offers a complete series of equipment for processing solvent, alcohol and water-washable printing plates.

A diverse range of K + E Printing Inks for sheetfed and web offset printing, publication gravure, and packaging, includes a new line of UV-curable inks. K+E Printing Inks are fast drying for high speed and perfecting presses, while providing outstanding rub resistance and high gloss. BASF inks are used in publication, commercial printing and specialty printing applications.

As part of the BASF Group, the Printing Systems business unit offers some of the most innovative technology in the world by taking advantage of BASF's vast expertise in research and development in the printing, paper and packaging technologies. BASF can draw on the world's largest polymer research laboratory, ink laboratory and a special resin laboratory. From raw materials such as pigments, binders, additives and polymers to the finished product, BASF technology adds value to the products we make.

BASF Corporation, together with its subsidiaries in Mexico and Canada, is the third largest producer of chemicals and related products in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with sales of $7.9 billion in 2000. Based in Mount Olive, NJ, BASF Corporation is the North American affiliate of BASF AG (Ludwigshafen, Germany), which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "BF."

"We don't make a lot of the products you buy. We make a lot of the products you buy better.®" summarizes BASF's diverse product mix including chemicals, polymers, automotive and industrial coatings, colorants, nylon fibers and agricultural products. BASF in North America employs more than 15,000 people at more than 50 locations. BASF Corporation can be found on the Internet at www.basf-corp.com.

Slogan, nyloflex, nyloprint, nylograv, nylocoat and digiflex are trademarks of BASF.