EVANS CITY, PA, August 6, 2010 -- Two BASF Corporation customers were awarded Powder Metallurgy Design Excellence Awards by the Metal Powder Industries Federation at the recently concluded PowderMet2010, the international conference on powder metallurgy and particulate materials.

Smith Metal Products, Lindstrom, Minnesota, and Megamet Solid Metals, Inc., Earth City, Missouri, received awards for producing complex metal parts using Catamold®, BASF's ready-to-mold feedstock for metal injection molding (MIM).

The Powder Metallurgy Design Excellence Awards are presented in a variety of application-based categories to companies that produce “outstanding examples of powder metallurgy’s precision, performance, complexity, economy, innovation, and sustainability,” according to the Metal Powder Industries Federation, which is an international trade association for the metal powder producing and consuming industries.

Smith Metal Products received the grand prize in the Hand Tool/Recreation category for a shuttle T-lock broadhead hunting arrow tip produced for Trophy Taker, Inc., Plains, Montana. Using BASF's Catamold 17-4PH feedstock, Smith Metal Products was able to take advantage of the design freedom and cost advantages that MIM provides, versus alternative manufacturing methods.

“Several other manufacturing processes were considered, but they could not provide the necessary geometry for commercial production, and the prototypes were far more costly than MIM,” said Mike Brown, Director of Sales for Smith Metal Products.

Megamet Solid Metals, Inc. was given the award of distinction in the Hand Tool/Recreation category for its upswept grip safety for Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC, West Hartford, Connecticut.  The part was manufactured using BASF's Catamold 17-4PH stainless steel feedstock, and passed a 10,000-cycle qualification test performed by Colt.

“The use of MIM helped eliminate costly secondary operations, reduce lead times and provide a more consistent product,” said Richard Louis, Sales Engineer, at Megamet Solid Metals, Inc.

Customers of BASF Catamold feedstock have won seven Powder Metallurgy Design Excellence Awards during the past 10 years.

“As the world’s leading supplier of standardized MIM feedstock, BASF can offer part producers high quality materials, access to technical knowledge, expertise, and innovation,” said Vince Haas, BASF’s Business Manager for Catamold.

MIM is a near net-shape manufacturing process used to produce complex metal parts combining the design freedom of plastic injection molding with mechanical properties approaching wrought metal. 

By expanding design options, improving product performance and offering a lower cost alternative to traditional manufacturing methods, MIM has become widely accepted in a variety of markets and applications including automotive components, medical and surgical devices, power tools, aerospace, electronics and communication devices, consumer products, firearms and mechanical equipment.

Catamold is BASF's ready-to-mold feedstock for MIM and ceramic injection molding (CIM), offering a diverse portfolio of low-alloy steels, stainless steels, special alloys and ceramics. For more information, please visit www.basf.com/catamold.

For a press photo of Smith Metal Products’ shuttle T-lock broadhead hunting arrow tip, please click here: http://www.basf.us/pressphotos/08-06-10_SmithMetalProducts.jpg

For a press photo of Megamet Solid Metals’ upswept grip safety, please click here: http://www.basf.us/pressphotos/08-06-10_MegametSolidMetals.jpg

Suggested photo captions:

Smith Metal Products’ shuttle T-lock broadhead hunting arrow tip:
Smith Metal Products received a Powder Metallurgy Design Excellence Award from the Metal Powder Industries Federation in the Hand Tool/Recreation category for a shuttle T-lock broadhead hunting arrow manufactured using BASF’s Catamold feedstock for metal injection molding.

Megamet Solid Metals’ upswept grip safety:
Megamet Solid Metals, Inc. received a Powder Metallurgy Design Excellence Award from the Metal Powder Industries Federation in the Hand Tool/Recreation category for an upswept grip safety manufactured using BASF’s Catamold feedstock for metal injection molding.

BASF - The Chemical Company.
BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 16,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $13 billion in 2009. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, or to sign up to receive news releases by e-mail, visit www.basf.us.

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 and oil and gas. As a reliable partner, BASF creates chemistry to help 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 €50 billion in 2009 and had approximately 105,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.