BASF, the world’s leading chemical company, today inaugurated its first BASF Innovation Campus Asia Pacific and its new Greater China headquarters.The €55 million expansion of BASF’s site in Pudong, Shanghai, where the new facilities are located, marks the company’s most important innovation investment in the region to date. Ultimately employing more than 2,500 employees, the site will be one of BASF’s largest outside of Germany.
“Innovations based on chemistry will play a key role in providing solutions to help Asia Pacific meet the challenges of sustainable development. Through close cooperation with materials scientists, technical experts, business colleagues and customers, BASF will create innovations from Asia, for Asia and the world. By 2020, we expect to have about 25 percent of our global R&D headcount in this region,” said Dr. Martin Brudermueller, Vice Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE, responsible for Asia Pacific. BASF employs more than 800 people in research and development in Asia Pacific.
“The Innovation Campus Asia Pacific will play a central role to gain local access to customers, talent and innovation centers. I am convinced that the enthusiasm and scientific spirit of our colleagues will cross over to other regions in our BASF Verbund and will be the cornerstone of our growing global scientific network in Asia,” said Dr. Andreas Kreimeyer, Member of the Board of Executive Directors, Research Executive Director.
At the first phase of the new Innovation Campus Asia Pacific, around 450 researchers and developers in technical teams from 17 regional business units will come together, forming a powerful innovation hub for BASF in Asia Pacific. Scientists in close proximity to local markets will work in international and multi-disciplinary project teams. The Innovation Campus will also help intensify development of local scientific and technical talent and to foster collaboration with universities and scientific institutes in Asia Pacific. Further expansion of the facility is also planned.
At the site, researchers will focus on advanced materials and sustainable solutions. Examples include biobased polymers for home and personal care applications, tailor-made binders for waterproofing in a variety of local climate and weather conditions, thermally conductive plastics for energy-efficient lighting, and advanced polyurethane formulation for shoe components. Additionally, a strong analytics and material physics team will support the R&D activities.
“The overall expansion of the Pudong site marks an important milestone in the history of BASF in Greater China, more specifically of BASF in Shanghai. As one of our largest integrated sites, the Pudong site will be a key enabler for collaboration between BASF employees and customers. Additionally, we aim to engage closely with nearby communities and contribute to the development of Shanghai as an international innovation hub,” said Johnny Kwan, Chairman of BASF Greater China Country Board.
China is BASF’s third-largest market worldwide. The new Greater China head office will include administration, functional units, and sales and marketing for its business units with more than 1,500 work stations, comfortable social areas on each floor, and a state-of-the-art, multi-function theater.
Globally, at about 70 research and development centers, more than 10,000 BASF researchers in various disciplines are engaged in about 2,800 research projects around the world. The BASF central research and development organization is also integrated into an interdisciplinary and international network: in about 1,950 cooperative partnerships the company is working closely together with partners from science and industry worldwide to develop solutions for a sustainable future. In 2011, BASF filed about 1,050 patents worldwide.
