ISELIN, NJ, August 6, 2009 – BASF Catalysts has received the Frost & Sullivan 2009 North American Green Excellence Award for Technology Innovation in the field of nanocatalysts.  The award was presented in recognition of BASF’s NanoSelect™ catalyst technology platform, which provides a lead-free alternative to Lindlar catalysts that have long been used in hydrogenation.

“We are honored to receive this award, which is a testament to BASF Catalysts’ commitment to research and development, and our ability to produce products that are both innovative and environmentally friendly,” said Wilfried Seyfert, BASF Catalysts’ Global Vice President, Process Catalysts & Technologies.

Increasingly stringent environmental laws and the high price of palladium has made a case for greener and better performing catalysts, such as BASF’s NanoSelect™ LF 100 and NanoSelect™ LF 200. These products offer superior catalytic behavior and controlled flexibility in the manufacturing process for heterogeneous catalysts on an industrial scale.

The choice of a catalyst for hydrogenation is primarily based on catalyst productivity versus total cost of the process, the cost of the apparatus, and the extent of selectivity toward the desired product versus high process productivity.  BASF has ensured that its NanoSelect™ catalysts meet these criteria.

“NanoSelect™ LF 100 and LF 200 are the first two commercially available catalysts produced from the NanoSelect™ technology,” noted Frost & Sullivan Analysts Archana Jayarajah and Arjun Bindingnavalle Sampathkumar. “Both catalysts are unique in that they are the first lead-free replacements for Lindlar catalysts and enable substantial cost reduction by using a ten-fold lower weight percentage of palladium.”

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents the Green Excellence Award for Technology Innovation to those companies that demonstrate superior technological advancement that is aligned with a sustainable and environmentally conscious objective within its industry sector. The award signifies the company's identification of a unique and revolutionary solution with significant environmental benefits, while also presenting tremendous market potential. Moreover, the award signifies that the company's overall business strategy is sound and poised for success.

About BASF’s Catalysts division
BASF’s Catalysts division is the world’s leading supplier of environmental and process catalysts. The group offers exceptional expertise in the development of technologies that protect the air we breathe, produce the fuels that power our world and ensure efficient production of a wide variety of chemicals, plastics and other products. By leveraging our industry-leading R&D platforms, passion for innovation and deep knowledge of precious and base metals, BASF Catalysts develops unique, proprietary catalyst and adsorbent solutions that drive customer success. 

About BASF
BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF helps its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than €62 billion in 2008 and had approximately 97,000 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.