News Releases

BASF, Stellantis and L&L Products received the 2026 Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Innovation Award in the chassis/hardware category for the next-generation composite tunnel reinforcement (CTR) on the 2027 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The CTR, which transfers crash loads between the vehicle structure and transmission crossmember, advances vehicle lightweighting, sustainability and structural performance, building on an earlier composite design.

BASF, Ford and Supavut Thailand have won the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Automotive Innovation Award in the materials category for the 2026 Ford Everest™ interior door handle bezels. This paint-free, high-gloss interior application does not require rapid heating or cooling during injection molding and simplifies end-of-life material recovery through a single-material construction. 

BASF, Toyota and Vuteq have won the 2026 Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Automotive Innovation Grand Award for the most innovative product in all competition categories, as well as the body exterior category, for the injection-molded thermoplastic truck bed on the 2026 Toyota Tacoma^™ short-bed model. The program is an alternative to the painted thermoset sheet molding compound (SMC) design with a seamless polyamide (PA6) thermoplastic solution developed around three connected innovation pillars: large-part manufacturing scale, material innovation and sustainability, resulting in a reduced final part cost and enhanced manufacturing efficiency.

BASF today announced that Denise Hartmann, Senior Vice President, Dispersions and Resins Americas, has been named as one of 10 outstanding leaders who make up the 2026 class of Women in Manufacturing (WIM) Hall of Fame inductees.

BASF has inaugurated the expansion of its Alkyl Polyglucosides (APGs) production capacity at its Cincinnati, Ohio, site, further strengthening the company’s manufacturing footprint in the United States. First announced in 2023, the expansion reinforces Cincinnati’s role in BASF’s regional production network and strengthens the company’s position as a leading APG supplier in the United States. By increasing production close to its North American customers, BASF can combine a reliable regional supply point with its broad APG portfolio and formulation expertise.