OREANDA-NEWS. BASF celebrated its 150th anniversary today in the Feierabendhaus in Ludwigshafen. "150 years is a special company anniversary - an opportunity to look back and reflect, but also to look forward," said Dr. Kurt Bock, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE. German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel and Malu Dreyer, Minister-President of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate also congratulated BASF in front of an audience of more than 1,000 guests from government, business, science and society.

Over the past 150 years, BASF has grown from a company with 30 employees to become the world's leading chemical company with around 113,000 employees in 80 countries. "Our success today is due in part to the fact that the right course was set years ago. Especially in chemistry, we are constantly building on the achievements of our predecessors," said Bock.

The company looked back at its 150-year history in a multimedia presentation on 15 large screens. Following the beginnings with dyes, the industrial production of ammonia for fertilizer was achieved a few years later. Then plastics were added. Since then BASF's portfolio has continuously developed and grown - ranging today from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection to oil and gas.

BASF's Chairman thanked the company's customers, suppliers, service providers and partners: "We are pleased that many of you are in attendance from all over the world. We have worked closely with you for decades, together we have grown, we have jointly pioneered new technologies and thus expanded into new markets."

"We were only able to achieve all of this with a high-performing and motivated leadership team and the commitment of each individual employee. We are proud of the skill and dedication of this team and how they work together globally. We will duly celebrate this at our sites around the world," said Bock. Also at the anniversary celebration were many BASF employees who won a draw to attend the event as well as employees with birthdays on April 6 - the day BASF was founded.

Innovations based on chemistry have helped to solve the challenges of the future since 1865. "Chemistry was, is and will continue to be a key industry in the future," said Bock. BASF's Chairman emphasized that BASF has initiated a global co-creation program with partners in its anniversary year on the topics of energy, food and urban living. BASF is thus taking a new approach in accordance with its "We create chemistry" strategy. The Creator SpaceTM program brings different target groups together to develop joint solutions.

During the anniversary event, five scientists talked about current research projects at BASF with moderator Barbara Hahlweg from German TV station ZDF. The discussions showed the contributions chemistry makes in the area of energy efficiency.