SOUTHFIELD, MI — Rainer Michael Blair has been named to head BASF Coatings AG’s Automotive OEM Coatings business unit. He succeeds Martin Laudenbach, who will become Group vice president of Automotive OEM Coatings at BASF Corp. in Southfield, MI, on July 1.

Blair joined BASF AG in 1990 and held product- and marketing-management positions before moving to BASF Corp. in the United States in 1995 as Acrylic Monomers Marketing manager. He most recently managed BASF Argentina S.A. and BASF Group’s South American plastics and chemicals business units.

Laudenbach joined BASF AG in 1988 and had headed the company’s automotive OEM coatings business since 1997.