BASF Catalysts, headquartered in New Jersey, is a global division
of BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany. In June 2006, BASF made the
largest acquisition in its 143 year history, acquiring Engelhard
Corporation, a company founded in 1908 in Newark under the
stewardship of Charles Engelhard, one of the forerunners in the
industrial use of precious metals.
Engelhard was one of the revered names in catalysis — famous
for, among other things, the invention of the catalytic converter —
one of the most successful pollution control technologies of the
20th Century. Through a combination of ingenuity, hard work and
unique knowledge of surface and materials science — primarily
precious metals-based — Engelhard lead the introduction of this
critically important device in time for the Clean Air Act of 1975.
The result has been the elimination of literally millions of tons
of pollutants from fuel-burning engines around the world.
BASF invested in this leader in environmental and process catalysts
to grow the business and leverage innovation and expand further
into markets.
BASF Catalysts employs more than 5000, with 35 manufacturing sites
worldwide. It is the first global division of BASF headquartered
outside of Germany, with executive offices and a Global Research
and Development Center for catalysis based in Iselin, NJ.
BASF Catalysts, part of the BASF Group, offers exceptional
expertise in the development of technologies that protect the air
we breathe, produce the fuels that power our world and ensure
efficient production of a wide variety of chemicals, plastics,
adsorbents and other products.
BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company.
Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance
products, agricultural products and fine chemicals to crude oil and
natural gas. As a reliable partner to virtually all industries,
BASF’s high-value products and intelligent system solutions help
its customers to be more successful. BASF develops new technologies
and uses them to meet the challenges of the future and open up
additional market opportunities. It combines economic success with
environmental protection and social responsibility, thus
contributing to a better future. BASF has over 95,000 employees and
posted sales of 52.6 billion (approximately $66.1 billion) in 2006.
Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at
www.basf.com