Catalysts
BASF’s Catalysts division is the global market leader in catalyst technologies. The division develops and produces mobile emissions catalysts as well as process catalysts and technologies. It is also the home of BASF’s battery materials business and provides precious and base metals sourcing, recycling and management services. BASF expands its leading role in catalyst technology through continuous process and product innovation.
Sales by region 2020 (location of customer)
Sales by direct customer industry 20201
1 Excluding precious metal trading
Mobile emissions catalysts
BASF’s mobile emissions catalysts enable cost-effective regulatory compliance, providing technologies that control emissions from gasoline and diesel-powered passenger cars, trucks, buses, offroad vehicles and motorcycles.
Process catalysts and technologies
BASF is the leading global manufacturer of catalysts for the chemical industry, with solutions across the chemical value chain. The business also provides oil refining technology catalysts, including fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts, co-catalysts and additives. It also offers adsorbents, which are used for purification, moisture control and sulfur recovery.
Battery materials
BASF is a leading global supplier of advanced cathode active materials (CAM) for the lithium-ion batteries market, providing high-energy density CAM to the world’s largest cell producers and for leading platforms of OEMs. BASF has a global presence with R&D and production capacity operating or announced in all regions, often leveraging partnerships. BASF is a frontrunner in developing innovative solutions and conducting next-generation battery materials research.
Emissions catalysts market – regulation remains primary demand driver
The global business unit precious and base metal services supports BASF’s mobile emissions catalysts and battery materials businesses and their customers with services related to precious and base metals sourcing and management. It purchases, refines, sells, distributes, stores and offers transportation services for metals. The business produces precious metals chemicals and is a global leader in precious metals recycling and refining. In addition, it also provides a variety of pricing and delivery arrangements to meet logistical, financial and price-risk management requirements.
- Mobile emissions catalysts: No. 2 globally
- Chemical catalysts: No. 2 globally
- FCC refinery catalysts: No. 2 globally
- Mobile emissions catalysts: Johnson Matthey, Umicore
- Chemical catalysts: Clariant, Johnson Matthey, Haldor Topsoe
- FCC refinery catalysts: W.R. Grace, Albemarle
- Battery materials: Umicore, LG Chem, Posco, Easpring
For mobile emissions catalysts, the focus is on improved products to meet future vehicle emission standards. In the process catalysts business, priority is given to developing new and improved products. For battery materials, the focus is on offering comprehensive products meeting customers’ requirements for e-mobility applications, including improving energy density to extend driving range as well as stability, safety and cost.
(from 2018 onward)
| Product group | Description | Year |
| Mobile emissions catalysts | New manufacturing plant in Rayong, Thailand | 2018 |
| New specialty zeolites manufacturing plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany | 2019 | |
| New manufacturing plant in Shanghai, China | 2019 | |
| Capacity expansion in Środa Śląska, Poland | 2020 | |
| Battery materials | BASF TODA America LLC formed in the United States | 2018 |
| BASF and Shanshan to form joint venture (BASF 51%) for the production of cathode active materials and precursors in China | 2021 | |
| New cathode material precursor manufacturing plant in Harjavalta, Finland | 2022 | |
| New cathode material manufacturing plant in Schwarzheide, Germany | 2022 |
(from 2018 onward)
| Product group | Description | Year |
| Process catalysts | Closure of the Erie, Pennsylvania, production site | 2021 |
Next generation of BASF’s four-way conversion catalyst for highly efficient particulate removal
The conventional four-way conversion catalysts used in gasoline engines filter out ultrafine particles and chemically remove substances such as carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in exhaust gas. This exhaust purification technology was significantly improved with the development of the FWC+ catalyst – the next generation of the four-way conversion catalyst. The FWC+ catalyst is a highly efficient filter that reduces particulates in exhaust gas emissions by up to 95%. The technology was initially introduced to the Chinese passenger car market in 2019 before being launched in Europe in 2020.