BASF Coatings launches new automotive OEM coatings plant in Muenster, Germany

• New facility strengthens market position, meeting customer demand for high-runner products
• High automation enhances sustainability and ensures process stability

BASF Coatings has successfully commissioned a state-of-the-art production plant for automotive OEM coatings at its Muenster site in Germany. The new facility is designed to produce high-runner products, namely colors that currently represent the majority of market demand, and ensure consistent product quality and enhanced production efficiency.

The investment marks a strategic milestone for BASF Coatings, reinforcing its long-term competitiveness in the high-volume coatings segment. The facility’s advanced automation enables more sustainable operations, while enhancing process stability and reliability.

The new plant is one of the most transformative investments of BASF Coatings in the past five years. From the initial conceptual studies in 2019, through two and a half years of construction, to the start of regular production today, this project has been shaped by the deep expertise of BASF Coatings teams.

“Our innovative strength and continuous drive for improvement make us a successful industry player – and more importantly, a valued partner to our customers,” emphasized Uta Holzenkamp, President of BASF Coatings. “This project is an outstanding team achievement, coordinated and executed by a global network of experts across multiple BASF locations.”

"We have invested in a more advanced process with the new facility, which ensures high and consistent product quality and stability. In this way, our customers benefit from our expertise, knowledge, and experience,” added Nils Lessmann, Senior Vice President, Global Operations Paint & Resin. "As the next step, our teams in Asia Pacific and North America will adopt these best practices and strengthen our global manufacturing network."

The new plant is designed to optimize energy consumption, thereby reducing CO₂ emissions, marking another important step in BASF Coatings’ sustainability journey. Since 2022, the Muenster site has been powered entirely by renewable wind energy, saving approximately 4,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually. Muenster joins other BASF Coatings sites across Europe, Asia Pacific, and North America that operate on 100% renewable electricity.

About BASF Coatings

BASF Coatings is a global expert in the development, production and marketing of innovative and sustainable automotive OEM and refinish coatings as well as applied surface treatments for metal, plastic and glass substrates in a wide range of industries. We create advanced performance solutions and drive performance, design and new applications to meet our partners’ needs all over the world. We share 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 2024, our businesses achieved global sales of about €3.8 billion.

BASF Coatings – Driven by passion and science, we always go beyond the surface. For more information, visit www.basf-coatings.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
 

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our ambition: We want to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 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, as core businesses, the segments Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Nutrition & Care; our standalone businesses are bundled in the segments Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €65.3 billion in 2024. 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.