BASF Walks Away with Frost & Sullivan's Product Leadership Award for Triphenyl Phosphine.

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Frost & Sullivan will present BASF Corporation with the 2005 Product Leadership of the Year Award at tonight's Excellence in Emerging Technologies Banquet for developing a new-pelleted form of an advanced catalyst, Triphenyl Phosphine (TPP). This catalyst reduces dust formation during chemical processing and enhances the economy of the manufacturing procedure by lowering handling costs.

This Award is given to a company that has exhibited a superior ability to develop and advance innovative products. It recognizes the company's successful adoption or invention of a new technology that has become an integral part of a well-designed product family. In addition to this, the Award also acknowledges the successful product development strategies in conjunction with the degree to which the product satisfies the needs of the consumer.

TPP catalyzes isobutanol and n-butanol production and has various other applications such as vitamin synthesis, production of pharmaceutically active ingredients, as well as crop protection products and coatings. TPP is also a popular initiator of several polymerization reactions.

It is a white water-insoluble powder with a flash point of 180 degrees C and is extremely flammable at high temperatures. However, it produces a fine dust that can cause irritation in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts as well as other chemical toxicity-associated symptoms in humans.

BASF developed TPP at its new manufacturing plant, which uses an improved production process. Since this is an exclusive, single-line TPP plant with continuous product processing, cross-contamination is not a concern.

"The company has consistently supplied high-quality, contaminant-free products," says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Kasturi Nadkarny. "It is also remarkably quick in responding to the customer's requirements for complex formulations."

BASF's proprietary process ensures that its TPP pellets have higher purity and lower odor than commonly available TPP flakes. As the TPP pellets do not stick together, they are highly effective as a catalyst, easy to store and can be used for a variety of industrial processes.

Such high quality also dramatically reduces the need for dusting and aids cleaner product handling requirements. Further, they can be easily packaged in flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs) or bulk bags.

"Given the strong demand and commercial success of the pelleted TPP, BASF is now developing TPP in a melt formulation," notes Nadkarny. "Since this formulation will be in liquid, its main advantage is its ability to be pumped easily."

BASF's TPP has strong technology and market potential in the advanced catalysts sector. Moreover, BASF's distinctive approach to integration has helped the company achieve cost leadership, providing it a competitive advantage.

Held in Boston, Frost & Sullivan's Excellence in Emerging Technologies Awards Banquet honors world-class companies for pioneering the development and introduction of innovative technologies into their markets. An annual event, the banquet recognizes the overall technical excellence of a company and its commitment towards technology innovation.

About BASF Corporation

BASF is the world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals to crude oil and natural gas. As a reliable partner to virtually all industries, BASF's intelligent solutions and high-value products help its customers to be more successful. BASF develops new technologies and uses them to open up additional market opportunities. It combines economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility, thus contributing to a better future. In 2004, BASF had approximately 82,000 employees and posted sales of more than EUR 37 billion. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. For more information, visit http://www.frost.com.