BASF opens new Automotive Competence Center in Houston

Center serves Distributors and Collision Repair Centers in the Gulf Coast

SOUTHFIELD, MI, February 18, 2016 – BASF will open a new Refinish Competence Center in Houston, TX on March 7. The center includes the latest in virtual and in-person training facilities, state-of-the-art spray booths and market-leading application equipment to enable next generation training for all job functions in the collision repair industry.

“We’re not only teaching the latest painting techniques here in Houston,” said Paul Whittleston, BASF Vice President, Automotive Refinish, North America. “We now offer VisionPlus University and Advanced Business Solutions classes to help our customers drive more business through their shops.

“BASF continues to place a high priority on our presence in Houston and the Gulf Coast market,” said Whittleston. “At BASF we’ve harnessed the power of a world-class talent pool and become one of the region’s major employers. The Refinish Competence Center is another sign of our commitment to the area.”

 “Our new training center brings us closer to our customers in the Southwest,” said Nick Maloof, BASF Automotive Refinish Zone Manager.  “The new facility can also support industry and networking events, for up to 50 people, to enhance customer interactions. We also look forward to hosting a variety of business groups and industry organizations in our new facility.”

Classes will begin in the BASF Refinish Competence Center in mid-March.

About BASF Automotive Refinish

BASF's Automotive Refinish business makes and markets coatings for the collision repair, commercial fleet and automotive specialty markets. Its paint products are supported by technical training programs, advanced color information systems and business management and planning tools. For more information visit http://www.basfrefinish.com

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 17,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $20.6 billion in 2014. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.us.

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 over €74 billion in 2014 and around 113,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

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