BASF to place Paper Chemicals HQ in Basel

BASF has announced that from July 1, 2009, BASFs Paper Chemicals operating division will be based in Basel together with two associated business units: Coatings & Starch Europe and Wet End Chemicals.  The cynic would say that this is another tax-dodging ruse followed by other companies such as Hercules and Clariant where repatriation to Switzerland has saved paying higher taxes in Europe; on the other hand, BASF had to make some promises to Ciba and Switzerland that in acquiring Ciba, some major businesses would remain in Switzerland.   Basel was the HQ for Ciba's paper business.

The details are available on the BASF web site including the overall plans for the Basel site - Research Centre; European Plastics and Additives Business Unit; and the Business Centre Switzerland.