BASF (Ludwigshafen / Germany; www.basf.com) plans to combine the activities of its Performance Chemicals business in Switzerland at its site in Kaisten, Aargau canton. As part of the move, the company plans to relocate its global plastics additives competence centre and its plastics processing application technology hub from Basel to Kaisten. The relocation will affect 35 jobs, which will also move from Basel to the other site, about 40 km away. Kaisten is already home to an R&D laboratory for additive design and BASF also produces plastics additives, including antioxidants, here. The site currently employs about 300 workers.

The merge into one site will improve processes and cooperation, said Volker Bach, head of the group’s global plastics additives competence centre, adding that the move is aimed at joining all knowledge and experience in the common value chain, while at the same time also building on them. BASF will make space at Kaisten by moving its construction chemicals R&D hub – focused on the global tunnel and mining business – to Trostberg / Germany.