Talk:BASF/Archives/2012

Update: Business segments

The current article about BASF’s business segments is no longer up-to-date. We would like to propose the following changes:

BASF operates in a variety of markets. The company is currently structured in six business segments with 15 divisions. In the BASF Group Consolidated Financial Statements, 326 companies including BASF SE are fully consolidated. BASF Group consolidates 19 joint ventures with one or more partners on a proportional basis and also includes 17 companies using the equity method. Reference: [1]

• Chemicals

The Chemicals segment consists of the Inorganics, Petrochemicals and Intermediates divisions. The most important basic products of the Inorganics division are ammonia, methanol, sodium hydroxide, chlorine as well as sulfuric and nitric acid. The specialties are particularly geared toward the electronics and pharmaceutical industries. The portfolio of the Petrochemicals division contains products such as ethylene, propylene, butadiene and benzene. Using these, BASF produces alcohols, solvents and plasticizers for the chemical and plastics industries. Alkylene oxides and glycols are starting materials for the detergents, automotive, packaging and textile industries. Furthermore the Petrochemicals division produces acrylic monomers (key components in the production of coatings and cosmetics as well as oil field, paper and construction chemicals) and specialty monomers that can be ideally incorporated into the valueadding chain for acrylates and methacrylates. The product lines of the Intermediates division include more than 600 products containing amines, diols, polyalcohols, acids and specialties that serve as starting materials for products such as coatings, plastics, pharmaceuticals, textile fibers, crop protection products as well as detergents and cleaners. Reference: [2]

• Plastics

The Plastics segment consists of the Performance Polymers and Polyurethanes divisions. The product range of the Performance Polymers division varies from engineering plastics, polyamides and polyamide intermediates to foams and specialty plastics. The Polyurethanes division produces polyurethane basic products, systems and specialties. BASF polyurethanes are used extensively for cold as well as heat insulation applications. Reference: [3]

• Performance Products

The Performance Products segment consists of the Dispersions & Pigments, Care Chemicals, Nutrition and Health, Paper Chemicals and Performance Chemicals divisions. The Dispersions & Pigments division bundles products for the coatings and paints industry in particular. The portfolio includes pigments, resins, dispersions and additives such as photoinitiators, UV filters and formulation additives. The product range for adhesive, printing and packaging industries include amongst others dispersions for labels, protective film and adhesive tape to color and effect pigments as well as resins for water-based printing systems. The dispersions and additives are also used in the production of nonwoven materials, fiber components and construction chemicals. The Care Chemicals portfolio comprises products for cleaning, care, cosmetics and hygiene. These mainly include polymers, surfactants, chelating agents, UV filters and other specialties that are also increasingly being used in chemical engineering industries. Effective August 1, 2010, the division Nutrition & Health was established. Human and animal nutrition, pharmaceuticals and aroma chemicals are core businesses of the new division. The main nutrition products are vitamins, carotenoids and enzymes. Paper Chemicals provides products for the paper industry, such as binders, functional and process chemicals, starch products and kaolin minerals. The product portfolio of the Performance Chemicals division comprises antioxidants, pigments, light stabilizers and specialty additives, mining and oilfield chemicals as well as added water treatment chemicals. For the automotive and refinery industries the Performance Chemicals division develops brake fluids, engine coolants, fuel and lubricant additives as well as process and refinery chemicals and chemicals for the production and finishing of leather and textiles. Reference: [4]

• Functional Solutions

The Functional Solutions segment consists of the Catalysts, Construction Chemicals and Coatings divisions. The Catalysts division develops catalysts and adsorbents that protect the air, produce fuels and manufacture a number of chemicals and plastics. The Construction Chemicals division produces concrete admixtures such as concrete plasticizers, deferrers and curing agents. Furthermore the Construction Chemicals division develops construction systems that protect and repair concrete structures. The product portfolio varies from concrete repair mortars to tile adhesives, waterproofing and insulating systems as well as sports and industrial flooring. The Coatings division produces various coatings solutions for automotive and industrial applications. Reference: [5]

• Agricultural Solutions

The Agricultural Solutions segment consists of the Crop Protection division. The product range of the Crop Protection division comprises fungicides, insecticides, herbicides and seed treatments as well as non-agricultural applications, for example products that protects buildings from termites and mosquito nets against the spread of malaria. Reference: [6]

• Oil & Gas

BASF’s oil and gas activities are bundled in the Wintershall Group. Wintershall and its subsidiaries operate in the business sectors Exploration and Production and Natural Gas Trading. Reference: [7]

Kind regards,

Hans-Joachim Perrey User:Corporate Online Communications BASF --Nah67056 (talk) 14:44, 20 October 2010 (UTC)