2026 Global Top 10: No. 7, BASF Coatings
At the start of 2025, BASF’s Coatings division was a global supplier of innovative and sustainable automotive OEM and refinish coatings, decorative paints and applied surface treatments for metal, plastic and glass substrates. Its automotive and surface treatment businesses operated a global network across Europe, North America, South America and Asia Pacific.
In 2025, BASF reported €3.746 billion in sales from its discontinued coatings business, which includes the automotive OEM coatings, automotive refinish coatings and surface treatment business units. BASF also reported €347 million in sales from the Coatings division within the Surface Technologies segment. In 2025, that figure referred exclusively to the Brazilian decorative paints business. Together, the two reported figures equal approximately €4.09 billion in 2025 coatings sales.
7. BASF Coatings
2025 Coatings Sales: Approx. $4.63 billion (€4.09 billion)
Global Headquarters: Münster, Germany
Operational North American Headquarters: Southfield, MI
President: Uta Holzenkamp
BASF’s Surface Technologies segment underwent significant reporting changes in 2025. Effective January 1, the former Catalysts division was split into the two independent Battery Materials and Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions divisions, while the chemical and refining catalysts business moved to the Performance Chemicals division within Industrial Solutions. The Coatings division was no longer included in BASF Group segment reporting after October 1, 2025, following the sale of the Brazilian decorative paints business and the planned divestiture of the automotive OEM coatings, automotive refinish coatings and surface treatment businesses.
On October 10, 2025, BASF and funds managed by Carlyle, in partnership with Qatar Investment Authority, announced a binding transaction agreement for BASF’s automotive OEM coatings, automotive refinish coatings and surface treatment businesses. The transaction assigns those businesses an enterprise value of €7.7 billion. BASF expects approximately €5.8 billion in pretax cash proceeds at closing and will retain a 40% equity stake in the new company. The European Commission conditionally approved the transaction on June 2, 2026, and BASF’s most recent update continued to place closing in the second quarter of 2026.
Parent company: BASF
Notes: In January 2025, BASF Coatings entered a strategic partnership with BMW Group for the aftersales market. BASF’s Glasurit® and R-M® refinish brands became preferred paint options for BMW Group’s dealer network in more than 50 markets, supported by product, training and sustainability programs for BMW and MINI body shops.
In February 2025, BASF Coatings transitioned its Greenville, Ohio, and Blackman Township, Michigan, sites to 100% renewable electricity. The company said the change is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 11,000 tons annually.
Also in February, BASF agreed to sell its Brazilian decorative paints business to Sherwin-Williams. The transaction included the Suvinil and Glasu! brands, two production sites and approximately 1,000 employees.
In March 2025, BASF Coatings and NIO signed a letter of intent to establish a strategic partnership focused on automotive exterior coatings for NIO electric vehicles. Later that month, BASF expanded polyester and polyurethane resin capacity at its Caojing, China, site from 8,000 to 18,800 metric tons per year to support automotive coatings demand across Asia Pacific.
In May 2025, BASF Coatings expanded its biomass-balanced portfolio into the North American automotive refinish market. The company said its portfolio included approximately 250 biomass-balanced products across three regions and business areas, which avoided approximately 8 million kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions in 2024.
In June 2025, BASF Coatings signed a strategic agreement with Toyota Motor Europe to support development of its Toyota Body&Paint program. The collaboration includes Glasurit® and R-M® refinish products, Body Shop BOOST consultancy services and the Refinity® digital platform for Toyota and Lexus body shop networks.
In July 2025, BASF Coatings, Renault Group and Dürr received the Trophée de l’Industrie s’engage 2025 for their Overspray-Free Application process for two-tone vehicle painting. The wet-on-wet system uses BASF Coatings’ decor coat technology and Dürr application equipment to achieve 100% paint transfer efficiency without overspray.
In October 2025, BASF completed the sale of its Brazilian decorative paints business to Sherwin-Williams. Later that month, BASF entered a binding agreement with funds managed by Carlyle, in partnership with Qatar Investment Authority, for its automotive OEM coatings, automotive refinish coatings and surface treatment businesses. The transaction values those businesses at €7.7 billion, with BASF retaining a 40% stake in the planned standalone coatings company.
In November 2025, BASF Coatings commissioned a new automotive OEM coatings plant at its Münster site in Germany. The highly automated facility is designed to manufacture high-runner colors, strengthen production efficiency and support the company’s position in high-volume automotive coatings.
Source: Annual Report, company website, press releasesLooking for a reprint of this article?
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