International. BASF completed the separation of its mobile emissions catalysts and precious metals services businesses and appointed the separate legal entity BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS).
The company's intention to form the separate entity was first announced in December 2021 with an expected completion deadline of 18 months.
"We have reached this important milestone on time while retaining business continuity for our customers, partners and employees," said Markus Kamieth, Member of the Board of Management of BASF SE, responsible for the Surface Technologies segment.
"The ECMS team, supported by many external and BASF experts, has done a great job in managing separation-related responsibilities while continuing to focus on competitive, cost-effective and innovative solutions for customers and delivering excellent business results."
According to BASF, ECMS has global operations in 15 countries with more than 4500 employees and 20 production sites.
"I am extremely proud of what our team has accomplished to achieve this independent achievement," said Dirk Bremm, President and CEO of ECMS.
"With our industry-leading innovations, we are gaining new platforms and are well positioned through this successful division to be agile and entrepreneurial to take advantage of market opportunities in accordance with the strictest emissions regulations for light and heavy-duty vehicles."
"In addition, we will continue to look for growth areas in circular solutions and the hydrogen economy," he said.
ECMS is an emissions catalyst solutions provider and produces mobile emission catalysts for gasoline, diesel and off-road vehicles, motorcycles, small engines and other applications.
It is also a supplier of precious metal products, trade and services and is a precious metal recycler of used automotive catalysts.
According to BASF, the entity's urban mine refines materials containing platinum group metals (PGMs) to a purity that exceeds commercial-grade industry standards that feed back into the manufacture of new chemical and automotive catalysts.
Recycling precious metals emits 97% less CO2 than refining primary or extracted PGMs, enabling circular economy and sustainability, according to the company.
The search for ECMS growth areas includes further development of precious metals recycling and catalyst-based products and services at both ends of the hydrogen economy value chain: hydrogen production through water electrolysis and the use of hydrogen in fuel cell electric vehicles.
The team is also working on next-generation electrocatalysts that will enable the construction of even better electrolyzers and, as a result, reduce green hydrogen production costs.
