​BASF inaugurates its first Ucrete® Competence Center, to support performance flooring customers in Asia

• New Center complements Ucrete manufacturing hub to meet Asian customers' changing needs
• Heavy duty polyurethane flooring systems better address performance flooring challenges in Asia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – May 16, 2019 – BASF today celebrated the inauguration of its new Ucrete^® Competence Center in Bukit Raja, Klang, Malaysia. Strategically located next to the Ucrete regional manufacturing hub in Malaysia, the new center will complement existing facilities, bringing production, training, product development, application know-how and testing services under one roof. The new facility will also enable BASF to offer quick response times, and the strongest local technical service experience for BASF flooring applicators in ASEAN. 

"With the increasing customer demand in ASEAN for durable flooring systems with reduced maintenance costs and production downtime, we see the need to build a center adjoining our manufacturing hub. This new center will create a unique environment for our customers and applicators, and will help employees to enhance their skills as performance flooring professionals," said Arnold De Silva, Director, BASF Construction Chemicals ASEAN. "Ucrete is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. This investment marks an important milestone in enhancing our innovation capabilities to better serve our customers in the construction industry," Arnold added.

The new facilities include state-of-the-art training aids, customized application tools for product demonstration and cured sample displays. The center also hosts highly specialized equipment for testing Ucrete flooring performance, including abrasion resistance, anti-slip resistance, pull-off strength, flexural and compressive strength, as well as anti-static measurement.

Ucrete is a highly durable surface protection system based on a unique resin technology, which has met and exceeded the most demanding hygienic requirements of the food and beverage industry for nearly 50 years. Ucrete industrial flooring systems are non-solvent-based and rapid curing, odorless and do not taint. Ucrete is certified to the Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort Gold standard for low emissions and complies with the requirements of AgBB, a German Committee for Health-related Evaluation of Building Products. It is approved for use in food production facilities operating HACCP quality systems. Ucrete is perfectly suitable for chemical and pharmaceutical applications, thanks to its chemical, mechanical and thermal shock resistance.

Additional information about Ucrete industrial flooring is available at: www.ucrete.basf.com

BASF celebrated Ucrete's 50th anniversary in conjunction with the inauguration of its new Ucrete Competence Center in Bukit Raja, Klang, Malaysia. Guests were invited to experience Ucrete's features including impact resistance and slip resistance at the event.

The new Ucrete Competence Center adjoining the Ucrete regional manufacturing hub in Malaysia creates a unique environment for our customers, applicators and BASF employees to enhance their skills as performance flooring professionals.

About the Construction Chemicals division

BASF's Construction Chemicals division offers advanced chemical solutions under the global umbrella brand Master Builders Solutions for the construction, maintenance, repair and renovation of structures. The brand is built on more than 100 years of experience in the construction industry. Our comprehensive portfolio encompasses concrete admixtures, cement additives, chemical solutions for underground construction, waterproofing systems, sealants, concrete repair & protection systems, performance grouts, performance flooring systems, tile-fixing systems, expansion joints & control systems and wood protection solutions. 

The Construction Chemicals division's approximately 7,000 employees form a global community of building experts. To solve our customers' specific construction challenges from conception through to completion of a project, we draw on our specialist know-how, regional expertise and the experience gained in countless constructions projects worldwide. We leverage global BASF technologies and our in-depth knowledge of local building needs to develop innovations that help make our customers more successful and drive sustainable construction.

The division operates production sites and sales offices in more than 60 countries and achieved sales of about €2.5 billion in 2018.   

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 122,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €63 billion in 2018. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.