BASF Coatings opens an advanced, energy-efficient automotive coatings plant in Muenster, enhancing production quality, sustainability, and global manufacturing integration.
BASF Coatings has officially inaugurated its cutting-edge automotive OEM coatings production facility at its Muenster site in Germany, marking a major step forward in the company’s global manufacturing strategy. The newly commissioned plant has been designed to produce high-demand coatings, particularly color ranges that currently dominate the automotive market. By focusing on these “high-runner” products, BASF aims to ensure consistent quality, improve production efficiency, and meet the evolving needs of automotive manufacturers worldwide.
This investment represents a pivotal milestone in BASF Coatings’ long-term strategy to strengthen its competitiveness in the high-volume coatings segment. The facility integrates advanced automation and digitalized systems that not only enhance process reliability and precision but also support more sustainable operations. Through this initiative, BASF is reaffirming its commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and environmental responsibility.
According to the company, the new Muenster facility is among its most transformative investments in recent years. The journey began in 2019 with conceptual studies and involved more than two and a half years of meticulous construction and commissioning work. BASF credits the project’s success to the expertise, collaboration, and dedication of its global team of specialists spread across multiple BASF locations.
“Our innovative strength and continuous pursuit of improvement make us not just a leading industry player, but a trusted partner to our customers,” said Uta Holzenkamp, President of BASF Coatings. “This facility represents an exceptional team accomplishment, coordinated across our global network to bring the best of BASF’s technology and expertise together.”
Echoing this sentiment, Nils Lessmann, Senior Vice President of Global Operations Paint & Resin at BASF, emphasized that the new facility embodies a leap in process innovation. “With this plant, we have introduced a more advanced manufacturing process that guarantees consistently high product quality and operational stability,” he stated. “Our customers will directly benefit from our expertise and technical know-how. The next phase will involve transferring these best practices to our production sites in Asia Pacific and North America, further strengthening BASF’s global manufacturing network.”
Sustainability remains at the heart of BASF’s strategy. The Muenster plant incorporates energy-optimized processes that significantly reduce CO2 emissions. Since 2022, the entire site has been operating on 100% renewable wind power, cutting approximately 4,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year. This development aligns with BASF Coatings’ broader commitment to climate-friendly manufacturing and supports the company’s global transition toward renewable energy sources. With sites in Europe, Asia Pacific, and North America also running entirely on renewable electricity, the new Muenster facility reinforces BASF’s vision of building a more sustainable, efficient, and resilient global coatings network.
