Factbook
Dispersions & Resins
The Dispersions & Resins division is the leading global supplier of raw materials used in formulations for a number of industries, including coatings, construction, paper, printing and packaging, adhesives and electronics. Our portfolio encompasses dispersions, resins and a broad range of additives, such as performance and formulation additives as well as electronic materials. We put a strong emphasis on environmentally friendly systems, such as low-VOC (volatile organic compound) water-based coatings.
Sales by region 2023 (location of customer)
Sales by direct customer industry 2023
Portfolio
Additives
BASF offers a broad range of performance and formulation additives that significantly improve the quality and performance of paints and coatings. We are a market leader for performance additives, particularly in light stabilizers. Light stabilizers protect paint films against degradation and several undesirable effects, including changes in appearance from long-term exposure to UV radiation. Our formulation additives offer solutions in the range of defoamers, dispersing agents, film-forming agents, rheology modifiers as well as wetting agents and surface modifiers to improve the properties of coatings. Our unique portfolio is based on a broad technology platform and helps performance-driven products meet the latest and most stringent environmental regulations.
Dispersions
Polymer dispersions are water-based systems used in formulations for adhesives, sealants, architectural coatings, paper coatings, construction and fiber bonding materials. Our strength lies in our backward integration into acrylics, strong technical expertise and application know-how. In addition, our worldwide presence is a key advantage in serving our global customer base.
Electronic materials
BASF delivers fully customized solutions for next-generation semiconductor and display manufacturing processes and metal systems. Our portfolio includes ultra-pure process chemicals, advanced materials for semiconductor manufacturing, high-end formulations for displays as well as products for injection molding and metal systems. We provide reliable services and innovative solutions to customers in the fast-paced electronics industry.
Resins
Resins are film-forming components used in industrial, automotive and wood coatings as well as in printing and packaging for ink formulations and barrier coatings. The product portfolio includes water-based resins, acrylic oligomers, polyisocyanates, amino resins, aldehyde resins and high-solid polyols. Our portfolio offers customers a wide range of water-based technologies that fulfill regulatory requirements regarding volatile organic compounds.
BASF’s market position and main competitors
The Dispersions & Resins division holds one of the top three market positions in around 80% of the strategic business areas in which it is active.
The main competitors (alphabetical order) include Allnex, Altana, Covestro, Dow, DuPont, Entegris, Evonik, Merck, Synthomer and Trinseo.
Focus of research and development
We invest in research and development to create innovative, differentiating and more sustainable products and solutions. Our innovations allow our customers to offer environmentally friendly solutions with dispersions for applications in the coatings, printing, adhesives and construction industries. In addition, customers benefit from new and improved resins and formulation additives, which enable them to upgrade the performance of their product portfolio. In electronic materials, the focus is on developing innovative solutions for the electronics industries, for example, for semiconductors. We advance digital and automation solutions in our laboratory environment to optimize our efficiency.
Acquisitions/JVs/investments
From 2021 onward
| Product group | Description | Year |
| Additives | Capacity expansion in Dilovası, Turkey | 2023 |
| Dispersions | Capacity expansion in Pasir Gudang, Malaysia | 2021 |
| Capacity expansion in Dahej, India | 2022 | |
| Capacity expansion in Merak, Indonesia | 2023 | |
| Production line optimization in Huizhou and Zhenjian, China | 2023 | |
| Capacity expansion in Huizhou, China | 2024 | |
| Electronic materials | Capacity expansion in Jiaxing, China | 2023 |
| Resins | New plant in Mangalore, India | 2023 |
Divestitures/shutdowns
From 2021 onward
| Product group | Description | Year |
| Additives | Divestiture of plant in Quincy, Florida | 2022 |
| Pigments | Divestiture of the pigments business | 2021 |
| Resins and additives | Closure of plant in West Memphis, Arkansas | 2021 |
Major production sites
BASF’s dispersions, resins, additives and electronic materials are produced at more than 60 sites worldwide. Our most important sites for each product group are listed below.
| Product group | Site |
| Additives | Appleton, Wisconsin; Heerenveen, Netherlands; Nanjing, China; Schweizerhalle, Switzerland |
| Dispersions | Cengkareng, Indonesia; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Dagang, Huizhou and Shanghai, China; Dahej, India; Freeport, Texas; Guaratinguetá, Brazil; Hamina, Finland; Ludwigshafen, Germany; Mangalore, India; Monaca, Pennsylvania; Pasir Gudang, Malaysia; Tarragona, Spain |
| Electronic materials | Jiaxing, China; Kuan Yin and Taichung, Taiwan; Ludwigshafen, Germany; Schweizerhalle, Switzerland; Singapore; Yeosu, South Korea |
| Resins | Heerenveen, Netherlands; Ludwigshafen and Schwarzheide, Germany; Shanghai, China; Wyandotte, Michigan |
Innovation example
© Getty Images
High-performance colorants for decorative paints
BASF is offering a newly reformulated range of 16 high-performance colorants – aqueous pigment dispersions used for tinting DIY architectural paints at the point of sale. The new colorants considerably reduce surfactant leaching and surface tackiness of tinted paints, without reducing paint viscosity. Moreover, they have significantly lower VOC emissions and a reduced carbon footprint, making them a great addition to BASF’s portfolio of Sustainable-Future Solutions.