Cornerstone placed at BASF Tultitlan site

TULTITLAN, MEXICO, September 15, 2017 – BASF officials placed a cornerstone for the new waterborne production plant at the company’s manufacturing site in Tultitlan, Mexico. The new plant will provide sustainable solutions for the growing automotive market in Mexico. Waterborne basecoat and primer sales are expected to grow due to the increased market demand for water based colors and coatings.

"Production in our market, especially in Mexico, is growing and BASF is well positioned to take advantage of this growth,” said Chris Toomey, BASF Senior Vice President, NA Coatings Solutions. “As the number one chemical supplier to the automotive industry and one of the world's top three suppliers of automotive paint, our strategy is being fulfilled today as we continue to invest and grow our capacity."

“As an innovative company and global leader in integrated processes, BASF is committed to sustainability,” said Frank Hezel, Vice President, BASF Coatings Mexico. “That's why, over 20 years ago, BASF invested in waterborne technology and continues to make investments in sustainable technologies."

At the end of the ceremony, BASF executives signed a document initiating the expansion of the Waterborne Production Plant and placed it inside a time capsule along with painted panels from the 2017 Color Trend show including the North American key color Undercurrent Blue.

For more information about BASF’s Coatings division visit basf-coatings.com

For a press photo please click here:
https://www.basf.com/press-photos/us/en/photos/2017/09/09-15-17_BASFTultitlanCornerstone.jpg
Suggested caption: (left to right) Chris Toomey, BASF Senior Vice President, Coatings Solutions NA; Chris Zawistowicz, BASF Director of Manufacturing, Coatings Solutions NA; Frank Hezel, Vice President, BASF Coatings Mexico and Michael Stumpp, President, BASF Mexico, Central America and Caribbean are waiting for the concrete to be poured in the cornerstone for the company’s new waterborne production plant.

About BASF’s Coatings division

The Coatings division of BASF is a global expert in the development, production and marketing of innovative and sustainable automotive OEM and refinish coatings, as well as decorative paints. We create advanced performance solutions and drive performance, design and new applications to meet our partners’ needs all over the world. BASF shares skills, knowledge and resources of interdisciplinary and global teams for the benefit of customers by operating a collaborative network of sites in Europe, North America, South America and Asia Pacific. In 2016, the Coatings division achieved global sales of about €3.2 billion.

In 2016, BASF acquired Chemetall, a leading global supplier of applied surface treatments for metal, plastic and glass substrates in a wide range of industries and end markets. With this expansion in portfolio, BASF becomes a more complete solution provider for coatings.

Solutions beyond your imagination – Coatings by BASF. For more information about the Coatings division of BASF and its products, visit www.basf-coatings.com.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has nearly 17,500 employees in North America, and had sales of $16.2 billion in 2016. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.us.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 114,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of about €58 billion in 2016. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.

P-US-17-095