BASF to reposition its global pigment business

BASF consolidates its global pigment business. After an in-depth analysis of the combined operations, following the Ciba acquisition, the company will eliminate specific products and adapt production capacities to market developments. As a consequence, approximately 500 of the current 2,900 jobs in the global pigment production will be redundant. In Europe, about 320 positions will be cut by 2013. This will mainly affect the sites in Paisley, Great Britain, and in Grenzach, Germany. The measures, which mainly concern azo pigments and phthalocyanines, will begin this year and are expected to be completed by 2013. BASF currently operates 22 production sites for pigments worldwide.