BASF to Cut 250 Jobs in Efficiency Moves

BASF will cut a total of 250 jobs in moves to improve the efficiency of its Performance Chemicals segment by the end of 2015.

As part of plans to adjust production to demand in its European latex manufacturing network, the Ludwigshafen, Germany, group also will shutter 120,000 t/y of latex capacity across its European platform. Customers will continue to be supplied from plants at Ludwigshafen, Pischelsdorf, Austria and Hamina, Finland.

At the same time, BASF hinted that there may be more announcements to come as it "continues to analyse further measures to improve the competitiveness of Performance Chemicals."

To cope with weak demand for parts of its paper chemicals portfolio, BASF said it will "evaluate strategic options" for its alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) portfolio in Europe and North America while at the same time adapting marketing, sales and administrative functions of the paper portfolio "to better reflect regional market dynamics."

To this end, the world's largest chemical producer said it will strengthen its customer-oriented product and solutions development and support a faster roll-out of new products to help its customers improve the efficiency of paper machines and lower their total operating cost.

While optimizing efficiency in the traditional end of the paper chemicals business, BASF said it will continue to expand its newly established Center for Sustainable Paper Packaging. To provide sustainable solutions for packaging manufacturers, licensing of intellectual property, development partnerships and smaller acquisitions are possible," said Uwe Liebelt, president of the Paper Chemicals division.

The German group recently signed an agreement with France's BT3 Technologies to evaluate joint development of an alternative to wax in corrugated packaging board to facilitate recycling.