Mysterious as the cosmos: BASF launches ultra violet shade collection featuring sparkling Colors & Effects® pigments

• New shade collection inspired by Pantone® Color of the Year 2018
• On-trend for designer products in plastics industries
• BASF Colors & Effects at CHINAPLAS 2018: April 24-27 at #7.2B65, National Exhibition & Convention Center, Shanghai, China

SHANGHAI, April 19, 2018 - Resulting from a new collaboration with Pantone® Color of the Year 2018, BASF will showcase a collection of sparkling Ultra Violet shades featuring its Colors & Effects® effect pigments for use in various plastics applications across multiple product markets.

The collection, to be launched at CHINAPLAS 2018 in Shanghai, will offer customers five pre-defined shade formulations sparkling with featured effect pigments and inspiring further custom shade development options.

'The featured effect shade collection demonstrates how our customers can use Colors & Effects® pigments to bring their visionary color designs to life,' said Juerg Zingg, Technical Marketing Manager, Pigments for Plastics, BASF. 'Pantone® Color of the Year is a strong partner providing a strategic direction for trends and therefore inspiring plastic designs in a number of industries. This year's color, Ultra Violet, is equal parts dramatic and thoughtful, and has inspired us to create an effect shade collection for our customers that will help them communicate originality and ingenuity.'

With the purple shade calling to mind the mysteries of the cosmos, the night sky and the possibilities that lie beyond, Colors & Effects sparkling Ultra Violet collection features the following five effect shade formulations:

• Silky Way - offers a smooth, velvety appearance with silver sparkling pigments for an elegant effect;
• Meteor Shower - features a shimmering surface with speckled silver sparking pigments;
• Distant Galaxy - has a vibrant gloss with greater color depth and violet sparkling pigments;
• Stellar Burst - provides an intense color offering with a smooth appearance and discreet sparkling effects for an overall fine finish; and
• Galactic Halo - offers a glittering appearance with large effect pigments resulting in modern color travel from violet to blue.

BASF also provides individual styling options to customers to help them create their individual shades.

BASF will showcase its effect shades based on Ultra Violet at CHINAPLAS 2018, one of the largest plastics and rubber trade fairs in the world, at its booth #7.2B65 from April 24-27 at the National Exhibition & Convention Center in Shanghai.

About the Colors & Effects brand

The Colors & Effects brand encompasses BASF's well-known expertise in colorants and effect pigments for the coatings, plastics, printing, cosmetics and agriculture markets. Fueled by entrepreneurial spirit, BASF's experts enable innovation and growth. For our customers and our company: We live colors. We boost effects. For more information about the Colors & Effects brand, visit www.colors-effects.basf.com.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The more than 115,000 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 €64.5 billion in 2017. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.