BASF supports India in fight against Covid-19

Mumbai, India – May 13, 2021 – BASF Group has extended its full support to the people of India and the Indian government to help overcome the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic through several relief initiatives. “We stand at the side of our colleagues in India and their families. We are doing our utmost to help them and the local communities to cope with this difficult situation,” said Carola Richter, President South & East Asia, ASEAN and Australia & New Zealand.

Chemistry to enable additional oxygen generation

“The need of the hour is to support the demands for medical infrastructure,” added Narayan Krishnamohan, Managing Director of BASF India Limited. “BASF has therefore leveraged its global and local network to supply chemistry that enables additional oxygen generation as well as much needed medical equipment. Proactive and timely support from the government of India enabled quick shipment of our product to address the critical medical oxygen need in the country.”

BASF is supplying molecular sieves  from its Catalysts division to several companies in India, which are ramping up their oxygen supply by converting their nitrogen generation units to oxygen units or setting up new oxygen units. Molecular sieves are integral to these units as they help enrich atmospheric oxygen from 21% to medical-grade oxygen, ranging from 90% to 95%.

The government of India is supporting BASF in airlifting the products so that the molecular sieves can be quickly shipped to the country to augment the oxygen generation capacity. The first shipment of sieves carried by the Indian Airforce arrived from Frankfurt in Mumbai on May 8. As a reciprocal gesture, BASF is donating the next batch of 70 tons of molecular sieves.

Medical equipment to supplement the healthcare infrastructure

In alignment with the Indian government and industry bodies, BASF is importing medical oxygen-related equipment to India, including cylinders and concentrators.

Additionally, BASF donated life-saving equipment to support the medical infrastructure around its sites, including ventilators and a High-Resolution Computer Tomography (HRCT) scanner, enabling chest scans for patients. In partnership with industry players, BASF installed three state-of-the-art mobile acute care units in one of the largest Covid-19 care centers in Mumbai. Each unit with five Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds is supporting several patients each day.     

BASF will continue to monitor the situation and explore additional ways to support the government’s and local organizations’ relief efforts in India.

About BASF in India

BASF has successfully partnered India’s progress for more than 130 years. As of the end of 2020, BASF had 2,254 employees in India at 8 production sites and at 39 offices throughout the country. The Innovation Campus Mumbai and the Technical Support Center in Mangalore are both part of BASF’s global technology platform. In 2020, BASF registered sales of approximately €1.6 billion to customers in India. Further information is available on the internet at www.basf.com/in.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 110,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2020. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.