BASF products at the German-Chinese Promenade		12/01/2009

BASF Coatings on the move in China

Wuhan/Münster – December 1, 2009 – BASF is on the move in China – literally.With its products for the automotive industry, such as automotive OEM coatings and automotive refinish products, the company has been active in the growth market of China for many years.As official partner of the “Germany and China – Moving Ahead Together" initiative organized by the German Foreign Office, BASF has presented its innovative solutions to the general public in China.Since the official opening in 2007, the German-Chinese Promenade has made stops in five major metropolitan areas in China.The last Promenade just took place in Wuhan in the province of Hubei. With a population of nine million, Wuhan is the largest city in central China.

At its exhibition pavilion, BASF presented a large selection of its sustainable products for the automotive industry.The Coatings Division presented its environmentally friendly waterborne basecoats and the innovative “Integrated Process II.”However, the focus was not limited to automotive coatings.The Chemical Company also demonstrated how solutions by BASF make cars more environmentally friendly, using catalytic converters and light, heat-resistant technical plastics that reduce fuel consumption and boost engine performance.In addition, BASF presented energy-efficient and environmentally friendly products for the construction industry.

Energy efficiency:Just one coating step instead of two

The big attraction at the Promenade in Wuhan, however, was the MINI Cooper coated with BASF Coatings’ environmentally friendly waterborne basecoat.The MINI Cooper was finished with the “Integrated Process II” developed by BASF Coatings, which saves time and money.The functions of the primer, which primarily serves to smooth out uneven spots in the paint, are integrated in the basecoat layer, which is responsible for giving the car its color. The process saves an entire coating step.

The dark green car attracted the visitors in droves.They checked out the body of the shiny car, letting their curiosity run wild. Posing proudly, they had their pictures taken with the snazzy car.

Automotive market in China burgeoning

At the German-Chinese Promenade, BASF also presented its coatings solutions to a promising market for automotive suppliers.Despite the economic crisis, the automotive market in China continues to expand.“We are optimistic about the future in China," said Markus Burri, head of BASF Coatings in the Asia-Pacific region.

“We are not only seeing to our close partnership with western carmakers in this area,but have also achieved a growing market share among local carmakers for whom we have been suppliers since 1999," Burri added.

450,000 visitors at the BASF Pavilion

The five stops of the German-Chinese Promenade – Nanjing in 2007, Chongqing and Guangzhou in 2008 and Shenyang and Wuhan in 2009 – attracted well over 450,000 visitors of all ages and from all walks of life to the BASF Pavilion, with 200,000 of them in Wuhan alone.

The “Germany and China – Moving Ahead Together” initiative was officially launched on August 27, 2007, by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in Beijing.The initiative is organized by the German Foreign Office in close cooperation with the Goethe-Institut as project coordinator, the "Germany – Land of Ideas" initiative and the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA).“Germany and China – Moving Ahead Together” enjoys the joint patronage of German President Horst Köhler and Chinese President Hu Jintao.More information is available on the Internet at www.basf.com/germanweeks.