- Business
- BASF SE operates as the world's largest chemical producer, offering a broad portfolio of chemicals, materials, industrial solutions, nutrition and care products, surface technologies, and agricultural solutions; its core products and services encompass petrochemicals such as ethylene, propylene, butadiene, benzene, alcohols, solvents, plasticizers, alkylene oxides, glycols, acrylic monomers, styrene and polystyrene; intermediates including butanediol derivatives, alkylamines, alkanolamines, neopentyl glycol, formic and propionic acid, specialty amines, gas treatment chemicals, vinyl monomers; engineering plastics, polyurethane systems, thermoplastic polyurethane, foam specialties, biodegradable plastics, isocyanates like MDI and TDI, ammonia, caprolactam, adipic acid, polyamides; polymer dispersions, resins, additives, electronic materials, antioxidants, light stabilizers, flame retardants, fuel additives, lubricant additives, process chemicals for oil, gas, metals and minerals; care chemicals such as emollients, cosmetic actives, surfactants, enzymes for detergents, nutrition and health additives including vitamins, carotenoids, flavors, fragrances, pharmaceutical excipients; catalysts for automotive, air quality, process applications, battery materials, precious metals services; coatings for automotive OEM and refinish, surface treatments; and agricultural products like fungicides (Boscalid, Revysol), herbicides (glufosinate, Kixor), insecticides (Broflanilide, Termidor), seed treatments (Poncho Votivo, Vault HP), seeds and traits for canola, cotton, soybean, wheat. The company serves diverse industries including automotive, construction, chemicals, plastics, consumer goods, energy, resources, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, cosmetics, detergents, food and feed, with operations spanning approximately 80 countries worldwide from its headquarters in Ludwigshafen, Germany, where it maintains the largest integrated chemical complex globally; BASF traces its origins to 1865 when founded as Badische Anilin- und Sodafabrik in Mannheim. In recent developments, BASF reaches a binding agreement in October 2025 to sell its automotive OEM coatings, refinish coatings and surface treatment businesses to Carlyle for an enterprise value of €7.7 billion while retaining a 40% equity stake, proceeds approximately €5.8 billion; announces a strategic collaboration in October 2025 with International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) to develop enzyme systems and biobased polymers; receives funding approval in 2024 for the world's largest industrial heat pump at Ludwigshafen for CO2-free steam generation as part of its green transformation toward net-zero emissions by 2050; realigns segments effective 2025 by moving chemical and refining catalysts to Industrial Solutions' Performance Chemicals and establishing battery materials and ECMS as separate divisions in Surface Technologies; divests shares in BASF Markor Chemical in early 2025.