Our worldwide workforce
of about 100 000 people generates annual sales of almost £20 billion. Our
mission is to provide products and services which benefit mankind and, as part
of our effort to do this, we invest £1 billion in research and development.
In the UK we employ some 2000 people. Last year our sales reached £1
billion and we spent £30 million on R & D.
The primary group
company in the UK is BASF plc. From our headquarters in Cheadle, Cheshire, we
supply most British industries with products which include industrial, intermediate,
speciality and fine chemicals; plastics; dispersions, pigments; crop protection
products, vitamins and pharmaceuticals.
In the UK we manufacture coil
coatings, fibre and
plastic intermediates, pharmaceuticals, printing inks,
polyurethane foam systems and vitamin and mineral premixes for animal feed.
We play an active role in the advancement of science and technology as well
as in education and the promotion of science teaching. This includes sponsorship
of yYoung Science Writer Awards and teaching packs produced by the Chemical
Industry Education Centre. BASF
Research and Development  Since
its formation in 1865, BASF has been distinguished by its potential for innovation
and its technical expertise. Almost 130 years later, research and development
continue to be instrumental in shaping BASF's future.
About
10,000 BASF employees work in R&D worldwide. Almost 8,000 of them are at our
headquarters in Ludwigshafen, Germany, one of the largest research centres in
the world. Scientists from all disciplines, including chemists, engineers, biologists,
physicists and toxicologists work closely together. In
addition to our own Research &Development, we extend our knowledge by working
with leading scientists from universities, institutes and industry and we currently
have a worldwide network of 770 co-operative projects. We
are increasing our commitment in plant biotechnology, a new key technology with
great innovative potential. We have set up several research joint ventures with
partners from the scientific world and begun extensive co-operation. In
1993, BASF introduced its own internal 'Innovation Award' which is a prize given
annually for the best company developments and their successful implementation.
Many worthwhile projects have since been recognised in this way.
The 2000 winning entries were polyvinylamine which makes paper cheaper
and
more tear resistant and a UV-B absorber
for suncream. Amongst
the most recent endeavours of BASF's R&D are developments in biotechnology,
innovative plastics, colour variable pigments, and catalysts for fuel cells.
|
