BASF India : opens new concrete admixtures plant in Kharagpur, India

• Sixth construction chemicals plant in India strengthens local supply of high quality admixtures
• Master Builders Solutions meet rapidly growing demands for durable and energy-efficient construction materials in India

Kharagpur, India - May 30, 2016 - BASF today inaugurated its new production plant for concrete admixtures in West Bengal, India. With its sixth construction chemicals plant in the country, BASF will meet the increasing demands for high quality construction chemicals projects in the eastern part of India.

At the new plant, BASF is producing standard and custom-made performance-based construction chemicals under the Master Builders Solutions brand. These include concrete admixtures product ranges such as MasterGlenium, MasterPolyheed™, MasterPel™ and MasterRheobuild™, as well as chemical solutions for underground construction under the MasterRoc™ product brand. The site is supported by an office, warehouse, occupational health checkup room and a well-equipped concrete lab that will deliver tailor-made recipes through formulation excellence.

The World Bank estimates that India's urban population will grow from 331 million to 500 million by 2017, which is expected to drive the demand for affordable mass housing and durable infrastructure projects. 'Asia Pacific is one of the fastest growing markets globally and India is a strategic growth engine of this market. The Kharagpur plant will help us better serve the growing demand for durable and energy efficient construction materials, which will make 'Smart City' a reality in India,' said Mr. Christian Mombaur, Senior Vice President, Construction Chemicals Asia Pacific, BASF.

'Fast and flexible solutions are essential for the construction industry. Our sixth construction chemicals plant in India enhances our flexibility to serve our customers with prompt supply and shorter lead times, especially in the eastern and the north-eastern parts of India. This plant complements the other BASF construction chemicals plants, located in Nalagarh in the North, two at Navi Mumbai in the West and Mangalore and Nellore in the South, thereby strengthening our production and service footprint across India,' said Dr. Raman Ramachandran, Chairman and Managing Director, BASF India Limited and Head, BASF South Asia.

The production plant is strategically located in the Kharagpur area of the West Medinipur District of the State of West Bengal. With close proximity to Kolkata, Orissa and Bihar, it is well connected to transportation networks, with access to national highway, rail and Haldia Port.

About BASF's Construction Chemicals division
BASF's Construction Chemicals division offers advanced chemicals solutions for new construction, maintenance, repair and renovation of structures: Our comprehensive portfolio encompasses concrete admixtures, cement additives, chemical solutions for underground construction, waterproofing systems, sealants, concrete repair & protection systems, performance grouts, performance flooring systems, tile fixing systems, expansion control systems and wood protection solutions.

The Construction Chemicals division's about 5,500 employees form a global community of construction experts. To solve our customers' specific construction challenges from conception through to completion of a project, we combine our know-how across areas of expertise and regions and draw on the experience gained in countless construction projects worldwide. We leverage global BASF technologies, as well as our in-depth knowledge of local building needs, to develop innovations that help make our customers more successful and drive sustainable construction.

The division operates production sites and sales centers in more than 50 countries and achieved sales of about €2.3 billion in 2015.

About BASF India
BASF has successfully partnered India's progress for more than 125 years, with all global businesses maintaining a presence in India today except for Oil & Gas. As of the end of 2015, BASF in India had 2,236 employees at nine production sites & eight sales offices, as well as two R&D centers, located in Mumbai and Mangalore. In 2015, BASF registered sales of approximately €1.1 billion to customers in India. Further information is available on the Internet at www.basf.com/in.

About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 112,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of more than €70 billion in 2015. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information at www.basf.com.