BASF grant to German School of Charlotte helps fund educational programs
School shares German heritage and language with Charlotte area community 

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 26, 2006 -- BASF recently made a $1,000 “Helping Make Communities Better” grant to The Deutsche Schule Charlotte (German School of Charlotte) to help fund the school’s German language and cultural classes offered to the Charlotte area community.

“We are very grateful for BASF’s continued support of our school,” said Klaus–Dieter Wurm, President of The Deutsche Schule Charlotte. “Our goal is to create a friendly and exciting environment where our German and American students can learn and improve their German language skills and at the same time develop a better understanding of German culture and way of life.”

The Deutsche Schule Charlotte was founded in 1974 and opened with an enrollment of 20 students and three classes. Today, approximately 120 adults and children from 18 nations attend the school.

BASF’s Technical Center in Charlotte has been a corporate supporter of the school for more than 15 years. The company’s global headquarters are in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

“Our continued support of this school is based on the great educational programs and initiatives the school has offered,” said Ray Betz, Manager of Human Resources for BASF’s Charlotte locations. “At BASF, we are not only committed to ‘helping make products better,’ we are committed to helping make the communities in which we live and work better. Ensuring that our neighbors from all nationalities can enjoy and learn more about German language and culture is important as our community becomes even more diversified and brings together new residents from across the world.”

BASF’s locations in Charlotte include the Chesapeake Drive site, which was BASF’s first U.S. site, the Charlotte Technical Center at Steele Creek and a warehouse. The company employs approximately 300 people in Charlotte.

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. BASF employs about 10,000 people in North America and had sales of approximately $11.3 billion in 2005. 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.

As the world’s leading chemical company, BASF's portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals to crude oil and natural gas. BASF’s intelligent system 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 2005, BASF had approximately 81,000 employees and posted sales of more than $50.4 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:
Ray Betz
BASF
Tel: (704) 587-7977
E-mail: raymond.betz@basf.com                                                                                        

Maureen Paukert
BASF
Tel: (973) 245-6077
E-mail: maureen.paukert@basf.com