Mangalore, India - March 24, 2012 - BASF site in Mangalore, India was named the second place winner of the "Safe Industry Award" in the medium-scale category of Industries in the State of Karnataka. The announcement coincided with the 43rd National Safety Day 2014 celebrations, held in Bellary, organized by the Karnataka State Safety Institute and the Department of Factories, Boilers, Industrial Safety & Health, Government of Karnataka.

Mr. Nagaraja Shambhat, Manager, Safety & Environment, received the award on behalf of BASF from Mr. M. B. Dayaberi, IAS Secretary to Government Labor Department in the presence of Mr. P. P. Parameswara Naik, Hon'ble Minister for Labor, Government of Karnataka & District In charge Minister Bellary.

"Safety is top priority for BASF, across the globe. With our actions and initiatives we work towards developing and implementing safety concepts, which protect BASF employees, contractors and our neighbors. This award is testimony to our commitment to safety and excellence in manufacturing operations", said Mr. P. P. Shetty, Site Director, BASF in Mangalore.

The award methodology included a detailed survey by the Directorate of Factories, Boilers, Industrial Safety & Health. An independent state-level committee was set up by the Directorate to evaluate the performance of large, medium and small scale factories in the areas of safety, health, welfare and corporate social responsibility. Five companies were shortlisted after which detailed evaluation was undertaken to choose the winners of the safety award.

The Mangalore site is BASF's largest manufacturing site in South Asia. Operational since 1996, it is currently engaged in the production of performance chemicals, dispersions and paper chemicals, coil coatings, construction chemicals and fine chemical catalysts. On a community level, the site also supports development initiatives such as education, health, sports and cultural activities through a Community Advisory Panel, consisting of members from the local communities and site employees. In addition, the Water Education Project was launched with the objective of promoting water education, improving water quality monitoring while offering access to safe drinking water to 5,000 students from 25 schools in Mangalore.

About BASF India

BASF has successfully partnered India's progress for over a century, with 13 of BASF's 14 global businesses maintaining a local presence in India today. BASF in India maintains excellent performance in environment, health and safety, in line with BASF global and internationally accepted standards. On the social front, our community development activities focus on relief and rehabilitation, women's empowerment, education, and improving governance standards. BASF in India has 2,254 employees at eight production sites & sales offices and two R&D centers. In 2013, BASF registered sales of €1.02 billion to customers in India.

About BASF

BASF is the world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of about €74 billion in 2013 and over 112,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

For Media Contacts:

Sonal Shah

Tel: 022-66618100

sonal.shah@basf.com

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