BASF helps make the holidays better in Chattanooga
Corporate grants, volunteers provide toys and education for area children

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., December 16, 2003 -- BASF helped make the holiday season better for local children by presenting two $1,000 corporate grants to the U.S. Marine Corps "Toys for Tots" campaign and the Chattanooga "Kids on the Block" program. In addition to the monetary donations, employees from BASF's Chattanooga sites also volunteered their time and services for the two non-profit organizations.

"BASF and its employees have a commitment to making our communities better," said J.D. Purvis, Manager of BASF's two Chattanooga sites. "We enjoy being able to share the 'spirit of giving' during the holiday season and do what we can to help the less fortunate."

This year marked the seventh consecutive year that BASF employees have participated in the "Toys for Tots" program, a national charity that collects new, unwrapped toys during October, November, and December and distributes them to needy children. In 2002, the program provided over 12 million toys to more than five million children from low-income families throughout the country. Former Marines employed at BASF's Chattanooga sites who have assisted in the Toys for Tots program are Ronnie Miller, James Appling, Luther Bowman and Danny Sims. BASF's Kathy Loeffler, whose son is stationed at a U.S. Marines Corps base in Cherry Point, N. C., also helps with the program.

BASF has had a five-year association with "Kids on the Block," an organization that provides educational puppetry programs that enlighten children on disabilities, medical-educational differences, and social concerns. The "Kids on the Block" program is currently active in 50 states and in more than 20 countries. The Chattanooga chapter was founded in 1979, and has grown to include more than 30 puppet programs on issues such as deafness, blindness, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, child abuse, and teenage pregnancy. This year, BASF employees Yvonne Hughes, Kathy Loeffler, Carol Mann, Amber McEachin, Debbie Jolley, and retiree Betty Martin continued their tradition of volunteering to wrap holiday presents at local shopping malls to raise funds for the organization.

Approximately 130 employees work at BASF's two Chattanooga sites, which make products used for adhesives, carpet backing, foams, paper coatings and asphalt modifiers.

BASF: Helping Make Products Better™
BASF is the world’s leading chemical company, offering its customers a range of high-performance products, including chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as crude oil and natural gas. Its distinctive approach to integration, known in German as “Verbund,” is its strength. It enables BASF to achieve cost leadership and gives the company a competitive advantage. BASF conducts its business in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. In 2002, BASF had sales of $34 billion and more than 89,000 employees worldwide. BASF Corporation is the North American affiliate of BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany. In North America, 2002 sales were approximately $8.2 billion and the company employs approximately 12,000 people. For more information or to receive news releases by e-mail, visit www.basf.com/usa.

For more information, contact:
J.D. Purvis
BASF Corporation
Tel: (423) 493-2732
E-mail: purvisjd@basf.com

Glenn Majeski
BASF Corporation
Tel: (973) 426-2848
E-mail: majeskg@basf.com