BASF sponsors training for Warren County emergency responders
Mutual aid sessions bring together responders from seven area communities

WASHINGTON, N.J., January 4, 2006 -- BASF recently hosted emergency response training sessions for more than 50 Warren County personnel and BASF employees. The mutual-aid training brought emergency responders from seven area communities to BASF’s Washington, N.J., site last month.

“This provides us with a great opportunity to bring personnel from across the county together for hands-on education and training,” said Keith Gonzales, Emergency Management Coordinator for the Washington Borough. “It’s important that a cross section of county personnel are up to date on rail car technology and operations so they can best respond if an emergency situation occurs.”

BASF’s Washington site participates in various types of training sessions on a regular basis with Warren County emergency responders. This training focused on rail car handling and safety, and included a classroom session as well as hands-on training with a railcar at the BASF site.

Along with BASF employees, approximately 40 emergency responders from Alpha, Franklin, Hackettstown, Mansfield, Oxford, Phillipsburg and Washington attended the training.

“These mutual-aid training opportunities provide both BASF employees and Warren County emergency responders with time together to learn from each other,” said Michael Laidlaw, Site Manager for BASF’s Washington site. “This also ensures we have a coordinated and proactive response in the unlikely event of an emergency.”

BASF’s Washington site employs 63 people and produces surfactants used in consumer and industrial laundry and cleaning products, healthcare products, coatings, and plastic additives.

BASF - The Chemical Company. We don't make a lot of the products you buy. We make a lot of the products you buy better.®
BASF Corporation, headquartered in New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany. Rated in FORTUNE magazine as America’s Most Admired Chemical Company, we employ about 10,000 people in North America and had sales of approximately $11 billion in 2004. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, or to sign up to receive news releases by e-mail, visit www.basf.com/usa.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals to crude oil and natural gas. As a reliable partner to virtually all industries, BASF’s intelligent solutions and high-value products help its customers to be more successful. BASF develops new technologies and uses them to open up additional market opportunities. It combines economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility, thus contributing to a better future. In 2004, BASF had approximately 82,000 employees and posted sales of more than $50 billion. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA), New York (BF), and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

For more information, contact:
Michael Laidlaw
BASF
Washington, N.J.
(908) 689-7500
E-mail: laidlag@basf.com

Maureen Paukert
BASF
Florham Park, N.J.
Tel: (973) 245-6077
E-mail: paukerm@basf.com