Chris Hadfield and Ed Robertson join BASF Canada to celebrate 150 years of creating chemistry
MISSISSAUGA, ON, September 25, 2015 – In honour of BASF’s milestone anniversary, the company hosted a private event in Toronto to celebrate 150 years of creating chemistry for a sustainable future. In a special presentation, guests heard from Chris Hadfield, former astronaut and first Canadian commander of the International Space Station. Guests also experienced a performance by Ed Robertson, lead singer and founding member of the iconic Canadian rock band, Barenaked Ladies. The end of the night brought the two together for a celebratory musical collaboration. The themes of collaboration and innovation are key elements of BASF’s “We create chemistry” strategy.
“Our history shows that chemistry is an enabler for new ideas and solutions. We are very proud of what our company has accomplished globally in the last 150 years,” said Carles Navarro, President of BASF Canada. “Our focus now is on the next 150 years and how BASF can continue to develop innovative solutions that help to meet the needs of a growing world population.”
From textiles and dyes to crop fertilizers, cassette tapes and catalytic converters, throughout history, BASF has continuously diversified and grown its portfolio to respond to societal needs.
“The needs of society have changed since 1865 — and BASF and its business operations have changed with them,” said Navarro. “Throughout our company’s history, the keys to our success have remained the same: research and innovation. This is how we at BASF are able to diversify our portfolio and re-invent ourselves.”
BASF is not only celebrating its rich past but also exploring opportunities to shape the future. By 2050, the world’s population will reach nine billion, and 70 percent of the people will live in cities. What will the cities of the future look like? Where will the energy that is needed come from? How can there be enough healthy food for everyone? These important questions are being discussed right now as part of BASF’s 150th anniversary co-creation program. A community of industry experts, thought leaders and interested citizens are sharing, debating and innovating solutions to key global challenges at BASF’s online Creator Space™ forum. BASF invites stakeholders from across industries and around the globe to join the conversation at www.creator-space.basf.com and help shape the next 150 years.
Download photo on right, suggested caption: Carles Navarro, President of BASF Canada, is joined by Chris Hadfield, former astronaut and first Canadian commander of the International Space Station, in Toronto for BASF’s 150th anniversary celebration.
Download photo on right, suggested caption: Chris Hadfield and Ed Robertson perform a song about the International Space Station at BASF’s 150th anniversary celebration in Toronto.
About BASF
BASF Canada, headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, has 670 employees at 12 production facilities and offices located across Canada. BASF Canada is a subsidiary of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany and an affiliate of BASF Corporation, Florham Park, New Jersey. 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. To find out more about BASF’s activities in Canada, visit www.basf.ca or follow us on twitter www.twitter.com/basfcanada.
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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