HONG KONG/LUDWIGSHAFEN, Germany – BASF will form a global business unit (GBU) combining all of its pigments activities effective January 2016. In the second half of 2016, BASF intends to carve out its pigments business and establish separate legal entities.

With sales of about €1 billion in 2014 and 2,500 employees globally, BASF holds a leading position in the pigments market, offering a broad portfolio of products and technologies. The new GBU will likely be headquartered in the Ludwigshafen, Germany area. All employees who are dedicated to the pigments business will be transferred to the new GBU.

“We have achieved and maintained a leading position in the pigments market through acquisitions and a series of successful restructuring measures. The new global business unit will fully concentrate on the pigments business and thus be even more focused on supporting the needs of our pigments customers,” said Dr. Markus Kramer, President of BASF’s Dispersions & Pigments division.

Dr. Alexander Haunschild, Senior Vice President of the regional business unit Pigments and Resins Europe and appointed head of the GBU, stated, “By creating an organization fully dedicated to pigments, we will adapt better to the challenges in the pigments industry. Our customers will benefit from tailored services and higher responsiveness.”

BASF’s pigments business serves a variety of industries including paints and coatings. The portfolio comprises color pigments such as phthalocyanines, high-performance pigments, azo pigments, effect pigments, inorganic pigments, dyes and pigment preparations.