4 December 2014
Ludwigshafen, Germany – December 4, 2014
BASF turns 150 in 2015.
The company announced its anniversary program in an international press conference held today in Ludwigshafen. In addition to celebrations and a historical retrospective, BASF has prepared a global co-creation program with partners on the topics of energy, food and urban living. As part of this program, called Creator SpaceTM, BASF is taking a new approach in accordance with its “We create chemistry” strategy.
“We want to initiate something new with our anniversary and try out new ways of working together over the next year – both within BASF and with people outside the company. We see the Creator Space program as a great opportunity to bring BASF closer to our target groups,” said Dr. Kurt Bock, Chairman of BASF’s Board of Executive Directors.
BASF’s official anniversary event with invited guests will take place on April 23, 2015, in Ludwigshafen. A special highlight will be the premiere of the anniversary musical composition, “Sounds for 150,” for which employees worldwide recorded more than 1,200 typical BASF sounds. The composer is Michael Nyman. BASF sites around the world are celebrating the 150th anniversary, each in a different way, according to their respective size and culture.
From Ludwigshafen into the world
BASF’s history started in 1865 with dyes. Ammonia production followed a few years later in order to make fertilizer. Then, plastics came along. Since then the company’s portfolio has continuously developed and today it ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection to oil and gas. BASF supplies customers in nearly every industry with products and solutions and supports them with research and innovations. “Being successful for so many years speaks for the creativity and determination of BASF’s employees – past and present,” said Bock.
BASF has operated internationally since its beginnings. Shortly after it was founded, BASF was selling its dyes worldwide. In 1885, BASF sent a manager to China with the aim of seeking opportunities for the company. “At the time, China was a new market on a largely unknown continent. There was real pioneer work to be done. Today, we are the largest foreign chemical investor in China,” said Dr. Martin Brudermüller, Vice Chairman of BASF’s Board of Executive Directors.
BASF’s history in China has been compiled for its anniversary in a book titled “Breaking New Ground.” The book was written by Michael Grabicki, the longtime head of BASF’s media relations team, and will be published in English, German and Chinese.
Creator SpaceTM program is a key element of the anniversary
In 2050, the world’s population will reach nine billion. 70% of the people will live in cities. A company that works on a global scale has to look at issues from the perspectives of different markets and understand local requirements. What will the cities of the future look like? Where will the energy that is needed come from? How can there be enough healthy food for everyone? The answers to these questions will be quite different from region to region.
The Creator Space program unlocks numerous opportunities to think about challenges related to the focus topics energy, food and urban living and to work towards solutions, both virtually and in person. “We are convinced that when we add the expertise from chemistry and other industries to these ideas, we will be closer to finding answers for the challenges of today and tomorrow. For society, these are solutions. For BASF, these are business opportunities. The better we understand market needs, the better our innovations will be – regardless of whether we’re talking about products, entire systems or new business models,” said Bock.
The website Creator Space online went live in September 2014. More than 2,000 participants are currently exchanging ideas in real-time on the three anniversary topics: urban living, energy, and food. The ideas and solutions from Creator Space online will be fed into other anniversary activities such as the Creator Space tour. Brudermüller: “The tour is about personal exchange in an environment that motivates creativity and an urge to design the future. Employees, customers, scientists, politicians and NGO representatives will all have the opportunity to get involved with the anniversary topics.”
The 2015 tour will stop for one week each in six cities: in January in Mumbai, and then in Shanghai, New York, São Paulo, Barcelona and Ludwigshafen. It provides space for workshops, conferences, idea competitions and cultural events. Each stop concentrates on one challenge that is particularly important for that city or country.
As part of the Creator Space program, BASF is also planning three high-level science symposia – in Ludwigshafen, Chicago and Shanghai. Renowned scientists from various disciplines will meet at each event. Among them are Nobel prize winners including the physicist and energy politician Steven Chu, the chemist Jean-Marie Lehn, and Frances Arnold, the pioneer of evolution in a test tube. In total, discussions with more than 1,500 guests from science, politics and industry will take place.
A documentary film spanning the entire anniversary year will be produced to capture some of the most interesting, beautiful and emotional moments. The prize-winning director, Thomas Grube, will accompany the anniversary activities. The film will be available in April 2016. Before that, clips can be viewed on
www.creator-space.basf.com.
BASF - Current Activities
At BASF, we create chemistry – and have been doing so for 150 years. Our portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. As the world’s leading chemical company, we combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of about €74 billion in 2013 and over 112,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.
http://www.india.basf.com/apex/India/en/upload/News_and_Media_Relations/Press_Release/2014/BASF_celebrates_150th_anniversary
September 3, 2014
BASF prepares for its 150th anniversary in 2015
-“We create chemistry” introduced as new claim in the BASF logo
-Broad discussion about future challenges in urban living, smart energy and food
-Launch of interactive Creator Space™ online platform
Ludwigshafen, Germany
BASF is introducing a new claim “We create chemistry” in its logo. This change to the company’s brand identity underlines how BASF collaborates and innovates with customers and partners to contribute to a sustainable future. The new claim is derived from BASF’s “We create chemistry” strategy, which was announced in 2011. “Since we launched this strategy, BASF has been increasingly focusing on offering its customers functionalized products and solutions based on chemistry as a clever combination of compounds. It is therefore the right time to make the next step and move from ‘The Chemical Company’ to ‘We create chemistry.’ The new claim refers not only to science but also to the chemistry between people, which is at the core of BASF and its brand,” explained Dr. Kurt Bock, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF.
Initially, “We create chemistry” will mainly be used in the logo in circumstances directly related to the company’s 150th anniversary. As of January 1, 2015, it will be applied broadly throughout BASF. The other elements of BASF’s corporate design, for example the six corporate colors, will remain unchanged.
In accordance with its company purpose “We create chemistry for a sustainable future,” BASF’s goal is to bring together people and ideas in a process of co-creation. BASF is inviting people to collaborate on developing solutions to global challenges related to urban living, smart energy and food throughout the anniversary year. To spark the discussion, the company has launched an interactive platform called Creator Space™ online at www.creator-space.basf.com. Here, customers, scientists, the public and BASF experts are invited to exchange thoughts and ideas.
In 2015, insights from the online conversation will form the basis for discussions at numerous live and virtual co-creation events around the world. The aim is to use the anniversary year to drive innovation and make a lasting contribution to society and BASF’s business.
“Our 150-year history shows that chemistry is an enabler for new ideas and solutions. Innovation in the 21st century will require new strategies and tools, and social networks are an important part of the mix. We invite everyone to join the conversation on Creator Space online,” said Bock.
Anniversary discussions focus on three topics
By 2050, there will be more than nine billion people living on Earth. The needs of the growing world population for good living conditions, energy and food can only be met through innovations. BASF has identified three topics where chemistry plays an important role that will form the focus of the anniversary program:
-Urban living: It is estimated that more than 70% of the world population will be urban dwellers by 2050. As cities grow rapidly, so do the social, environmental and economic challenges, for example, in ensuring fresh water supply, improving waste management as well as offering efficient and accessible mobility and housing.
-Smart energy: Dramatically rising energy demand is one of the world’s most pressing challenges. A smarter energy future requires deriving more cost-efficient energy from clean and renewable resources like wind and solar, increasing energy efficiency and improving the storage and transportation of energy.
-Food: The challenge of feeding the world’s growing population by providing a sustainable supply of food is one of the most crucial in the next decades. Avoiding food loss and food waste, ensuring nutritious food and improving the efficiency of food production is necessary to prevent undernutrition and malnutrition.
Further details of the anniversary program will be announced at a press conference on December 4, 2014, and then there will be regular updates on all activities on Creator Space online. One highlight of the year will be the Anniversary Celebration in Ludwigshafen on April 23, 2015.
http://www.india.basf.com/apex/India/en/upload/News_and_Media_Relations/Press_Release/2014/BASF_prepares_for_its_150th_anniversary_in_2015
http://www.basf.ca/group/corporate/ca/en/about-basf/history/1865-1901/index
