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BASF Group
Ludwigshafen, Germany
www.basf.com
PUBLIC COMPANY
HEADCOUNT: 96,924
YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1865
COATINGS REVENUES: $3.729 billion
TOTAL REVENUES: $91.670 billion
(BASF Coatings AG is part of the Functional Solutions unit)
SEGMENT BREAKDOWN
• Chemicals: 17%
• Plastics: 16%
• Performance Products: 14%
• Functional Solutions: 15%
• Agricultural Solutions: 5%
• Oil & Gas: 23%
KEY PEOPLE
Raimar Jahn, CEO of BASF Coatings AG; Dr. Helmut Rödder,
member of the board of BASF Coatings AG; Udo Reiter, head
of global technology, coatings; Dr. Klaus Plitzko, head of global applied research and technology, coatings; Juan Ximenez-Carrillo Gerber, automotive OEM coatings; Christoph Hansen,
automotive refinish coatings; Peter Alexander Fischer, industrial coatings; Rui Artur Goerck, decorative paints.
BASF Coatings AG, the coatings division of the BASF Group, 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 2008 BASF Coatings achieved global sales of $3.729 billion (€2.5 billion). Automotive
OEM coatings makes up 44% of coatings revenues; automotive refinish coatings 23%; industrial coatings 15%;
and decorative paints 18%. ;
State of the coatings industry and how BASF
Coatings is facing the global financial crisis
BY RAIMAR JAHN
CEO, BASF COATINGS AG
The automotive and steel industries are important customers for BASF Coatings. This means that the economic crisis is also impacting our business with automotive
and industrial coatings. In both areas, demand has substantially dropped since the fourth quarter of 2008. With
regard to automotive refinish products and architectural
coatings, the situation is still currently stable. However,
the decreasing number of new cars and the overall unfavorable economic conditions will have a delayed impact
here as well. We will face these challenges with our all-around competence and our close relationship to our customers. We have a strong network of research, development, production and services that are close to the customer and we pursue a long-term strategy.
In difficult times in particular, we support our customers
with new processes and product developments. In our automotive OEM coatings business, our integrated processes
serve to shorten the application process. This allows customers to cut costs considerably while maintaining high
quality. We supply innovative coatings, such as particularly
scratch-resistant clearcoats, to carmakers and bodyshops.
With regard to automotive refinish paints, we are developing future-oriented strategies. We tailor our branding policy with our two premium brands, Glasurit and R-M, to the
needs of our customers. Our color competence makes us
especially well equipped to handle the current situation in
the automotive refinishing sector as well.
In the area of industrial coatings, we have developed innovative products that have already been used successfully on
the market, for instance, the next generation of our chro-mate-free primer for coil coatings and foil coatings for floors.
When it comes to architectural coatings, we are developing
products based on nanotechnology, whose water- and dirt-resistant properties provide considerable advantages.
Our biggest challenges are the extent and speed of the
decline in demand and the planning uncertainties arising from
it. We will be confronting this
situation together with our
customers. Our global presence
helps us to set the right priorities for the respective regions.
In economically challenging times in particular, our
customers expect innovative
products and processes from
us. To do this, we are using
the knowledge of the entire
BASF Group. For instance, we
are also carrying out eco-effi-ciency analyses together with
our customers.
Raimar Jahn
CE
O, BASF Coatings AG
In the areas of automotive
OEM coatings, automotive refinishing, industrial coatings and architectural coatings, we are helping by providing targeted services and new products. All in all,
we are confident that we will be able to master the
huge challenges together.
