Who we are
History - BASF in the UK
2021
2020
2019-2010
2019
December 21, 2019, BASF and an affiliate of Lone Star, a global private equity firm, signed an agreement on the sale of BASF’s construction chemicals business.
On June 4, BASF and siHealth Ltd, a UK emerging company in the health care industry, announced their strategic alliance, including an equity investment. This alliance allows BASF to exclusively market scientifically-based satellite and optronic technologies to the personal care industry globally.
On February 25, we launched ScienceXperience, a new learning facility designed to encourage primary school children to study STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), at our production site in Alfreton, Derbyshire. 60 students from Forest View Academy in New Ollerton were the first to take part in the ScienceXperience.
On February 1, BASF and Solenis completed the transfer of BASF’s paper wet-end and water chemicals business to Solenis. The combined business will operate under the Solenis name and offer increased sales, service and production capabilities across the globe. With pro forma sales of around €2.4 billion in 2017 and approximately 5,200 employees, the combined company is positioned to provide an expanded product portfolio and cost-effective solutions for paper and water treatment customers. BASF will hold a 49% share, 51% of the shares will be held by funds managed by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and the Solenis management.
The transaction included production sites and plants of BASF’s paper wet-end and water chemicals business in Bradford and Grimsby.
BASF retained part of the Bradford site in Dealburn Road, which Dispersions and additives produced at the Bradford site are used as dispersants, thickeners and speciality components in paints, inks and coatings that are applied in various industries such as automotive, furniture, printing and cosmetics. The site is managed by the BASF business unit Dispersions & Resins. It has an excellent safety and environmental footprint.
2018
On May 18 a new anionic polyacrylamide powder production facility at the Bradford site was opened by the MP for Bradford South, Judith Cummins. This investment strengthened the role of the Bradford site for Anionic Polyacrylamide (APAM) production at BASF. It will manufacture high performance products for the oilfield market.
On May 2 BASF and Solenis signed an agreement to join forces by combining BASF’s paper wet-end and water chemicals business with Solenis. The goal is to create a customer-focused global solutions provider for the industry. BASF will hold a 49% share of the combined entity that will operate under the Solenis name. The transfer includes production sites and plants of the paper wet-end and water chemicals business in Bradford and Grimsby. Pending approval by the relevant authorities, closing is anticipated for the end of 2018 at the earliest.
BASF Colors & Effects UK Limited began operations on February 1. BASF Colors & Effects is one of the leading manufacturers of colored and effect pigments for the coatings, plastics, printing and cosmetics industry
2017
In June a new warehouse to help service high market demand for the Omega-3 fatty acids produced at Callanish was opened by Angus MacNeil, MP for h-Eileanan an Iar. Highlands and Islands Enterprise, which owns the Callanish site, invested £2.8m in the project.
2016
In December BASF completed its acquisition of Albemarle’s global surface treatment business, Chemetall. This included a UK sales office and laboratory in Bletchley, near Milton Keynes. In the same week we completed the sale of our Industrial Coatings business to Akzo Nobel. This included the UK manufacturing site in Deeside.
In November a new Kids’ Lab at our Bradford site was officially opened by Judith Cummins, MP for Bradford South. The Kids’ Lab programme at Bradford is run by 40 BASF volunteers and over 130 schools, 4000 pupils and around 380 teachers have been to the site over the years to see for themselves how science positively impacts their everyday life.
In April a new world-scale bio-acrylamide production facility was commissioned at our site in Bradford. This major investment will help to ensure the long term future of one of the UK’s largest chemical manufacturing facilities, which employs around 600 people. Bradford is a BASF production hub for polyacrylamides, used as water-soluble flocculation aids in industrial and municipal wastewater treatment, enhanced oil recovery, mineral processing and papermaking.
In February BASF and AkzoNobel reached a general agreement on the sale of the industrial coatings business of BASF’s Coatings division to AkzoNobel for €475 million. The transaction would include the transfer of the dedicated production site in Deeside.
At the beginning of January Richard John Carter was appointed Vice President in charge of BASF’s UK/Ireland Unit and Managing Director of BASF companies in the UK and Ireland. Richard, who was born in Yorkshire, had previously spent all of his 31-year career in the chemical industry outside the UK. Since 2008, he had been based in Germany as Vice President, Global Key Account Management for BASF’s Home & Personal Care Business in Europe & Asia Pacific.
2015
In December, as part of an asset swap, BASF subsidiary Wintershall transfered its share in Wingas UK Limited and Wingas Storage UK Limited to Gazprom. This included the gas storage site at Saltfleetby in Lincolnshire.
In November the former pigment production site in Paisley was sold to a purchaser intending to apply for planning permission for residential development.
The opening of our expanded Littlehampton production site in October, strengthened our ability to sustainably meet the growing global demand for biological solutions for agriculture and horticulture.
Installation of new high-performance milling and decanning equipment at our Cinderford precious metal recycling operation more than doubled the plant’s capacity.
On January 1, BASF Coatings Limited and BASF Performance Products Limited were consolidated into BASF plc
2014
Pigment production at our site in Paisley ceased at the end of the year.
BASF Polyurethanes U.K.Limited was consolidated into BASF plc on July 1.
Approximately 50 jobs lost were lost at Cinderford as BASF Metals Recycling focused on autocatalyst recycling.
The assets and business of BASF UK Limited were transferred to BASF plc on January 1.
2013
BTC Speciality Chemical Distribution Limited was consolidated into BASF plc.
In October we informed employees that we intended to close our pigment plant in Paisley, Scotland, by the second half of 2015.
Becker Underwood Ltd. became BASF Agricultural Specialities Limited on August 1.
2012
In May, BASF acquired Equateq Ltd, a manufacturer of concentrated omega-3 fatty acids. Alex Salmond, Scotland’s First Minister, opened the expanded plant on the Isle of Lewis.
Engelhard Metals Limited renamed BASF Metals Limited. Engelhard International became BASF Metal Forwards Limited.
BASF acquired Becker Underwood, global leader in seed-applied biological products for the agricultural sector. Manufacturing in Littlehampton.
2011
Engelhard Sales Ltd. became BASF Metals Recycling Limited, with a new, improved site at Cinderford.
BASF Construction Chemicals Limited became part of BASF plc.
Following BASF’s acquisition of Cognis, we established BASF UK Ltd. to handle sales of Care Chemical products. The former Cognis site in Hythe was sold to Geo Speciality Chemicals.
2010
Cognis UK Limited acquired by the BASF Group.
BASF Performance Products plc established to run former Ciba plants in the UK. Maclesfield office closed.
Elastogran UK Limited became BASF Polyurethanes U.K. Limited.
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