With the Verbund site in Zhanjiang, BASF is strengthening its presence in the Chinese market. The site is a highly integrated, efficient and sustainable production facility that is powered entirely by renewable electricity. It offers a broad portfolio to key industrial sectors in China.
Home
Investors
Calendar and Publications
Factbook
Segments
Surface Technologies

Factbook

Surface Technologies

The Surface Technologies segment consists of the Battery Materials and Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS) divisions. Until October 1, 2025, the segment also included the Coatings division. The Surface Technologies portfolio includes chemical solutions for surfaces in the areas of battery materials and emissions catalysts, as well as services in the areas of precious metals and base metals. We improve our customers’ applications and processes with tailored products, technologies and solutions, and support them through geographical proximity across all regions. The aim is to drive BASF’s growth by leveraging our portfolio of technologies and existing customer networks.

Divisions

Battery Materials
Advanced cathode active materials (CAM) for lithium-ion batteries suitable for all battery applications, precursors, base metals management, battery recycling solutions
  1. More...
Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS)
Mobile emissions catalysts, precious metal trading and recycling, precious metal chemicals, temperature sensing, clean air technologies, solutions for hydrogen value chain
  1. More...

Sales 2025

Sales by division

Sales by region

By location of customer

Diagram: Sales by division - Surface Technologies
Diagram: Sales by region - Surface Technologies

Factors influencing sales1,3

EBITDA before special items1

Diagram: Factors influencing sales - Surface Technologies
Diagram: EBITDA before special items - Surface Technologies

Segment data Surface Technologies

Million € 20251 20241 2023 2022 2021
Sales to third parties 8,967 8,055 16,204 21,283 22,659
Share of total BASF sales (%) 15.0 13.1 23.5 24.4 28.8

of which Coatings2

 347 486 4,387 4,220 3,440

      Battery Materials

 642 599 – – –

      ECMS

 7,978 6,970 – – –
Adjusted sales to third parties3 2,631 2,809 8,626 8,947 6,933
EBITDA before special items 800 470 1,520 1,464 1,277
EBITDA margin before special items (%) 8.9 5.8 9.4 6.9 5.6
Adjusted EBITDA margin before special items3 (%) 30.4 16.7 17.6 16.4 18.4
EBITDA 1,394 405 1,351 1,264 1,243
EBITDA margin (%) 15.5 5.0 8.3 5.9 5.5
Income from operations (EBIT) before special items 587 203 938 902 800
Income from operations (EBIT) 1,141 –392 366 612 761
Segment cash flow 627 415 1,488 61 –

1 With the planned divestiture of the automotive OEM coatings, automotive refinish coatings and surface treatment business units, sales and earnings from these activities will be reported as discontinued operations and will no longer be part of the sales and EBIT(DA) before special items of the BASF Group and of Surface Technologies.
The prior-year figures have been restated. Since January 1, 2025, the chemical and refining catalysts business has been reported as part of the Performance Chemicals division in the Industrial Solutions segment. It was previously part of the former Catalysts division in the Surface Technologies segment. The prior-year figures have been restated accordingly. In addition, the two business units Battery Materials and Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions were established as new divisions in the segment as of January 1, 2025. They emerged from the Catalysts division.

2 The figures of the Coatings division for 2025 and 2024 refer exclusively to the decorative paints business unit.

3 Adjusted figures excluding sales in precious metal trading and precious metal sales in the automotive catalysts business (reported since 2021).

Last UpdateMay 28, 2026