Ride on discovery: BASF Kids’ Lab program landed in Zhanjiang for the second consecutive year with two new experiments highlighting material innovation

• An immersive five-day educational journey for around 1,000 children in Zhanjiang in 2024
• Interactive displays showcase how advanced materials enhance sports experiences and foster a healthy lifestyle
• A steadfast commitment and engagement with the local community in Zhanjiang as a responsible community member

Zhanjiang, China – August 14, 2024 – Today, BASF Kids' Lab program landed in Zhanjiang for the second consecutive year, promoting science education among children locally. During the five-day program, approximately 1,000 children aged 6 to 12 from across the city will delve into the fascinating world of chemistry through interactive and safe hands-on experiments. The program features two new scientific experiments this year, "Fantasy Foam" and "Water Absorbent Magic", enabling children to discover the wonderland of polymers and how material innovation and its tailored solutions improve our daily lives.

"We are excited to bring this BASF educational initiative for children in Zhanjiang for the second consecutive year, making this enriching exploration of chemistry accessible to a broader audience of young minds", said Marko Murtonen, Senior Vice President, New Verbund Site China, BASF & General Manager, BASF Integrated Site (Guangdong) Co. Ltd. “Education lays the foundation for the prosperity of future generations and the sustainability of our society. With BASF Kids’ Lab program, we aim to ignite curiosity in children, planting seeds of innovation and sustainability at their early age. As a responsible community member in Zhanjiang, we are committed to growing in and with the city, and collectively striving for a sustainable future."

This summer, BASF Kids’ Lab visited cities in Greater China including Taipei, Shanghai, Kaohsiung, Beijing and Chongqing, and will complete its 2024 session in Zhanjiang. BASF aims to inspire children across different cities to learn through playing in a delightful space designed for science experiments. The program will also feature interactive displays showcasing how advanced materials can enhance the sporting experience and foster a healthy lifestyle.

As the world’s leading chemical company, BASF actively takes on its social responsibility and is committed to promoting science education to enhance the public understanding of the chemical industry. For more than 20 years, BASF Kids’ Lab program has been providing an enjoyable and educational science exploration experience to more than 210,000 school children in Greater China during summer.

The experiments at 2024 BASF Kids' Lab Zhanjiang station include:

Fantasy Foam (45-minute workshop, eligible for children aged 6-12 years old)

Polyurethane (PU) is an advanced material that can be seen everywhere in our daily life. Through foaming technology, PU can be molded into various shapes, making it an ideal material for creating toys. How is PU foam made? What is the science behind it? In this experiment, children can observe the foaming and expansion process of PU foam plastic, know about its chemical reaction and material properties, and experience the magical world of foaming.

Water Absorbent Magic (45-minute workshop, eligible for children aged 6-12 years old)

Paper towels and sponges are common water absorbents in our daily life. In the world of chemistry, superabsorbent materials possess a remarkable capability to absorb and retain liquids that is thousands of times their own mass. Even when subjected to external pressure, separating the absorbed water from the material is difficult. This extraordinary property has made them utilized in the production of baby diapers. Through this experiment, children will have the opportunity to discover how different materials absorb water, while exploring the magic of superabsorbent.

About BASF in Greater China

BASF has been a committed partner to Greater China since 1885. With large production sites in Shanghai, Nanjing, Chongqing and Zhanjiang, as well as a regional research and development hub in Shanghai, BASF is a major foreign investor in the country’s chemical industry. BASF posted sales of approximately €9.4 billion in 2023 to customers in Greater China and employed 12,115 people as of the end of the year. For further information, please visit: www.basf.com/cn/en.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 112,000 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 comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €68.9 billion in 2023. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.