Go-ahead for Chemical Technology Center on BASF premises

State government, city government and BASF sign alliance agreement

14-Jul-2004

The concept and financing for the new industry-oriented Chemical Technology Center are in place. The alliance agreement is to be signed today by the Minister for the Economy of Rhineland-Palatinate Hans-Artur Bauckhage, Ludwigshafen Lady Mayor Dr. Eva Lohse and Mayor Wilhelm Zeiser, and BASF Aktiengesellschaft Ludwigshafen Site Manager Dr. Albert Heuser.

The goal of the joint initiative is to make Ludwigshafen and the Rhine-Neckar region even more attractive as a location for chemicals-based industry and to increase the area's international competitiveness.

"As a means of successfully establishing scientific innovations in the marketplace, clusters of industry-specific facilities to promote networking have proven their worth. And they help in this way to save existing jobs and create new ones", said Bauckhage. The facilities provided by the new technology center are especially geared toward young innovative companies, entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Representatives from the fields of chemicals, nanotechnology, new materials, biotechnology, and process and chemical engineering are particularly welcome. "Ludwigshafen is the City of Chemistry," said Lohse. "We want to use and expand the unique pool of expertise we have here as a basis for further development."

Extensive range of services provided by BASF and "TechnologieZentrum Ludwigshafen" The facilities BASF provides to companies using the new Chemical Technology Center include labs and miniplants, regulatory support, and extensive technical and chemical expertise. Startup and growth advice, for example with regard to business plans and financing, will be provided by "TechnologieZentrum Ludwigshafen am Rhein GmbH/BIC Rhein-Neckar-Dreieck" (TZL GmbH).

This collaborative service package has a definite edge on other startup initiatives because BASF and TZL GmbH support fledgling companies in all phases of growth. "The industry-based Chemical Technology Center reinforces our Verbund (BASF's integrated production system) and at the same time gives entrepreneurs and innovative companies ideal startup conditions to boost new business ideas on their way to commercial success," said Heuser.

TZL GmbH will be in charge of marketing and coordinating collaboration between the various partners. BASF is providing a lab building with a surface area of approximately 2,500 square meters. Its location in the north of BASF's site near Gate 5 is ideal for convenient access to major transport routes. The total annual cost of the project is estimated at EUR120,000, with Ludwigshafen city government contributing 30 percent and the Rhineland-Palatinate state government and BASF each contributing 35 percent.

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/38488/go-ahead-for-chemical-technology-center-on-basf-premises.html