BASF opens new coatings technical competence center for ASEAN’s growing automotive market
- Supports robust growth of ASEAN motorcycle market
- New facility provides professional services including color design, product development and performance testing
Bangkok, Thailand – March 26, 2013 – BASF has set up a new Coatings Technical Competence Center ASEAN in Bangkok, Thailand. This new facility supports technical and laboratory activities mainly in motorcycle coatings including technology transfer, product development, performance testing, color design and development, and houses a sales and marketing team as well as a technical service team of more than 20 professionals, all catering to motorcycle manufacturers in the ASEAN region.
“At BASF, we align our growth plans according to our customers’ expansion plans. The set-up of the new facility is well-timed, as there are increasingly more motorcycle and car plants being established in or transferred to ASEAN locations,” said Peter Fischer, Senior Vice President, Coatings Solutions Asia Pacific, BASF. “In Thailand, BASF has been in the motorcycle coatings business for more than 10 years and is the leading motorcycle coatings supplier locally. By staying close to customers, the new facility allows BASF to respond even faster to customer and market needs, and provide comprehensive high-quality services and innovative technologies and solutions in a more efficient manner.”
Boonchai Opas-iam-likit, Managing Director, BASF Thailand Limited, added, “Thailand is a key market and production hub for the car and motorcycle industries in ASEAN, which is an important region for these industries. This technical competence center will significantly benefit our customers, especially in Thailand, and at the same time is important to BASF in achieving our long-term business objectives.”
The leading motorcycle markets in ASEAN — Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand — have all demonstrated strong growth momentum in recent years. In 2012, motorcycle production in Thailand was 2.6 million units, rising 62.5% compared with 20071. Indonesia reported 7.1 million motorcycles produced in 2012, a 51% increase in five years2. In Vietnam, there was a 59% increment in the five-year period, with motorcycle production totaling 4.23 million units in 20123.
About the Coatings Division
In the Coatings Division, BASF develops, produces and markets a high-quality range of innovative automotive OEM coatings, automotive refinishes and industrial coatings as well as decorative paints. BASF has significant market positions in the Coatings sector in Europe, North America, South America and the Asia Pacific region. In 2012 the Coatings Division of the BASF Group achieved global sales of nearly 3.0 billion Euros. The internet address is www.basf-coatings.com. You can download a copy of BASF customer magazine Coatings Partner from www.coatingspartner.com
About BASF
BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of €72.1 billion in 2012 and more than 110,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.
1 Source: Thai Federation Industries
2 Source: Indonesia Automotive Manufacturers Association
3 Source: General Statistics Office of Vietnam
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