• - Dispers pigment preparations ensure an even mass coloration of board materials
  • - Design prototypes based on Firemist ® effect pigments boast manifold design options

Ludwigshafen, Germany - November 20, 2014 - BASF and Glunz, a manufacturer of wood-based panels, have jointly developed four new colors for medium-density fiberboards (MDF). The color shades - Royal, Curry, Berry and Terra - are based on BASF pigment preparations from the Dispers range. They are distributed under the brand name INNOVUS® Coloured MDF as part of the global INNOVUS décor collection of Glunz.

The patent-registered Dispers pigment preparations have been developed by BASF specifically for use in wood-based panels such as MDF. These specially designed fiberboard materials consist of mass-colored wood fibers and offer virtually unlimited design options for various fields of application - from top quality interior fittings and store design to trendy office furniture. Dispers pigment preparations ensure an even mass coloration of the material and stand out due to their great shine as well as their color and light stability.

As early as 1999 Glunz started working with BASF pigment preparations to produce mass-colored medium-density fiberboards. Previously, the portfolio of Glunz, the German subsidiary of the Portuguese Sonae Ind ú stria Group with its headquarters in Meppen, Lower Saxony, consisted of black (Dispers black 0077) and grey (Dispers grey 0056). Both shades will remain part of the future range, which now boasts four new colors: The product name Royal has been chosen for the deep ink blue of Dispers 6311, Curry for the strong yellow of Dispers 2355 while the dark chestnut-brown Dispers 2899 red is called Berry and the sophisticated Dispers 2866 brown has been christened Terra.

"Colors that perfectly reflect the trend"

"The new color collection opens up a completely new range of esthetic options for MDF," says Juliane Krüsemann, marketing manager for pigments at BASF. "The colors that we have developed in close cooperation with Glunz perfectly harmonize with and complement each other. They are part of a design concept that does not just, for a short while, reflect the current zeitgeist but that is part of a long-term trend."

Experts from BASF have helped Glunz not only to develop the colors and start their production at the Meppen plant but have also advised them beforehand on the selection of colors for the extended INNOVUS collection.

BASF effect pigments give a refining touch to design prototypes

Furthermore, the sample designs on black mass-colored material that Glunz recently presented at a launch event in Hamburg show the immense variety offered by MDF. To produce one of these samples featuring an elegant "wave" relief, the company Hesse Lignal, a manufacturer of coatings and mordants from Hamm in North Rhine-Westphalia, developed a coatings system which has been realized with Firemist ® effect pigments from BASF. Depending on light exposure, the coated MDF surfaces shimmer with a hint of silver, gold or aquamarine.

About BASF's Dispersions & Pigments Division

The Dispersions & Pigments division of BASF develops, produces and markets a range of high-quality pigments, resins, additives and polymer dispersions worldwide. These raw materials are used in formulations for coatings and paints, printing and packaging products, construction chemicals, adhesives, fiber bondings, plastics as well as for electronic applications such as displays. With its comprehensive product portfolio and its extensive knowledge of the industry, the Dispersions & Pigments division offers its customers innovative and sustainable solutions and helps them advance their formulations. For further information about the Dispersions & Pigments division, please visithttp://www.dispersions-pigments.basf.com .

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry - and have been doing so for 150 years. Our portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. As the world's leading chemical company, 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 atwww.basf.com .

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