SHANGHAI, China – BASF Shanghai Coatings Co. Limited is investing in a new basecoat plant at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park in Shanghai, China. The new plant will increase the company’s local production capacity for basecoat by 13,500 tons per annum. The investment represents an important step to strengthen BASF’s position as a leading coatings supplier to the automotive industry in China. Basecoat gives color to and determines the visual impression made by the painted car body.

The new coatings plant is planned to start production in the first half of 2014. It will be designed according to the latest and most environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and technologies.

BASF Shanghai Coatings Co. Limited is a joint venture with 15 years of successful partnership between BASF and Shanghai Coatings Co. Ltd. The joint venture is already running a production facility in the district of Minhang in Shanghai.

BASF is the coatings supplier that introduced waterborne basecoats to China in 2005. It is also the world’s number-one chemical supplier to the automotive industry. The company offers a wide range of products for use in the automotive industry throughout the value chain, for automotive manufacturers and suppliers and in customer service.