ISELIN, NJ, July 7, 2008 – BASF Catalysts today announced it is raising prices worldwide for its petroleum refinery catalysts and additives, which are used to produce gasoline and other fuels, by 15 percent, or as contracts allow. The price increase will be effective August 1, 2008. The increase is in addition to an earlier price increase announced by the company on April 23, 2008.

"Continued, unprecedented higher energy costs, combined with persistently higher crude oil prices have significantly increased the cost to manufacture these products, with a particularly strong impact on transportation and raw materials costs,” said Deon Carter, General Manager, Process Catalysts & Technologies, for BASF Catalysts. “While ongoing productivity initiatives have counteracted some of this impact, we find these additional price increases necessary to partially offset some of these costs while maintaining our increased investment in research and development and high-quality manufacturing capacity to meet growing worldwide demand.”

BASF’s refinery technologies include state-of-the-art fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts that help refiners to increase yields of gasoline, diesel, and other fuels cost effectively. The price increase also applies to the company’s FCC additives, which are used to help boost fuel production and improve environmental performance.

About BASF
BASF’s Catalysts division is the world’s leading supplier of environ­mental and process catalysts. The division offers exceptional expertise in the development of technologies that protect the air we breathe, produce the fuels that power our world and ensure efficient production of a wide variety of chemicals, plastics, adsorbents and other products.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from oil and gas to chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals. As a reliable partner, BASF helps its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges, such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF has more than 95,000 employees and posted sales of almost €58 billion in 2007. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.