A Fresh Start, the Economic Miracle and the Dawn of the Age of Plastics The post-war years are marked The plan is to swiftly rebuild a Growth in the plastics segment by streams of refugees, a short- sales network and expand produc- in the 1950s and 1960s is pheno- age of housing and unemploy- tion. BASF decides to build a menal. Between 1953 and 1959 ment. City centers, residential new administrative building which alone, annual plastics production areas and industrial plants lie is Germany’s first skyscraper in West Germany more than in ruins. Reconstruction under over 100 meters high – visible triples. Backed by its prewar re- Allied control is difficult and pro- testimony to a new beginning. search results, BASF is able to gresses very slowly. Production take a leading position in this plants are dismantled, and the After the establishment of the development. Perlon and nylon – Allies, in particular the Soviet Federal Republic of Germany on polyamide synthetic fibers dis- Union and France, confiscate May 23, 1949, the first German covered before the war – register goods as they come off the government under chancellor sensational sales in the 1950s. production line to satisfy their Konrad Adenauer prepares Polyethylene is similarly success- demands for reparations. Germany’s return to the west Euro- ful. The use of polyethylene film pean community of democratic for packaging launches a devel- In May 1945, an 800-strong work- nations. Germans’ acceptance of opment that also revolutionalizes force starts production again at their new state goes hand in the entire method of production the Ludwigshafen site. Manufac- hand with an economic boom. in the chemical industry. The raw turing permits are required by Economics minister Ludwig material ethylene can only be the French military administration, Erhard is seen as the father of made in large amounts and cost- and raw material and fuel alloca- Germany’s economic miracle. effectively from oil and natural tions are often more than meager. With the introduction of the gas. The age of petrochemicals In November of the same year, deutschmark, Erhard declares the begins. By the end of the 1950s, the Allied Control Council orders end of the planned economy BASF paves the way for its first the dissolution of IG Farben. and ushers in a social market eco- production facilities abroad with After several years of demerger nomy. This means that 10 years the production of Styropor, a negotiations, Badische Anilin- & after the end of the war, the West product developed from poly- Soda-Fabrik is reestablished in German economy can stand on styrene in 1951 that proves a 1952 as one of three successor its own two feet again, strength- huge success worldwide. companies of IG Farben. ened by currency reform and the Marshall Plan. In 1955, growth reaches a peak of 11.7 percent. CChronik-E_1945-1965_K2.inddhronik-E_1945-1965_K2.indd 2-32-3 001.09.20051.09.2005 14:32:0814:32:08 UhrUhr The Ludwigshafen and Oppau The first postwar works council Carl Wurster (1900 – 1974, chair- A new area of application is 1951 sees the discovery of a After protracted demerger nego- sites lie in ruins in 1945, flattened elections take place in 1947. man of the Board of Executive launched in 1949: The herbicide plastic destined to conquer the tiations, Badische Anilin- & Soda- by 65 air raids and more than The close cooperation between Directors between 1952 and 1965) U46 is marketed after three years world’s markets: Styropor. The Fabrik is founded as one of 40,000 bombs. One-third of the employee representatives and describes the reestablishment of of tests at BASF’s Agricultural rigid white foam is 98 percent air three successor companies of plants are completely destroyed, management, especially during BASF in 1953 thus: “The years of Research Station. U46 is a selec- and captures air’s key attribute: IG Farben on January 30, 1952. and the rest is badly damaged. the years of reconstruction, leads reconstruction between March tive herbicide mainly used in its excellent insulating properties. Although the company’s head- A starving, freezing and war-weary to the adoption of a series of social 1945 and the currency reform of cereal crops. Civil engineers and packaging quarters have not been on the population begins to rebuild the policies that are laid down in the June 21, 1948 have surely been designers alike are enthusiastic. Baden side of the Rhine River in site. Little by little, buildings are first works agreement in 1955. the most difficult years in BASF’s Patent for Styropor The foamed plastic material is Mannheim since 1919, the tradi- reconstructed and production history. What we have achieved just as popular for insulating tional name is adopted again and restarted. would have been unthinkable with- roofs, walls and ceilings as it is is to remain for a long time to out the dedication of the entire for packaging fragile china or come. It is not until 1973 that the workforce, who carried out their frozen foods. Annual Meeting adopts a resolu- challenging duties loyally under tion to update the company’s difficult conditions and with far too name to BASF Aktiengesellschaft. little food.” BASF employees A new company philosophy is rebuild their site: BASF’s workforce rises to 21,951 also needed. Within the IG Farben Foreman Rudolf Schuster and pipe- by 1948. conglomerate, Ludwigshafen was fitter Otto Sößer in for a long time mainly a supplier the Oppau gas plant The severe explosion of a rail of raw materials and a manufac- tanker in the southern part of the turer of high-pressure equipment. site claims more than 200 lives The non-existent administration and destroys many newly com- needs to be established, business pleted buildings. areas restructured, expanded and redeveloped. And, crucially, export markets need to be developed. The southern tip of the Ludwigshafen site after reconstruction 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 From the Annual Report 1952: The first Styropor “The reconstruction of the is produced in these Ludwigshafen site continued to molds made from make good progress in 1952 shoe polish cans. and is approaching completion in the most important areas. Reconstruction has been carried out according to a long-term plan that also enabled fundamental modernization, which will be re- flected in both higher production volumes and lower production costs in the next few years.” CChronik-E_1945-1965_K2.inddhronik-E_1945-1965_K2.indd 4-54-5 001.09.20051.09.2005 14:32:1214:32:12 UhrUhr In 1953 in collaboration with From the Annual Report 1954: In 1955, BASF acquires new rest The synthesis of hydroxylamine In 1957, BASF builds a 102 meter- For the first time since the war, BASF shares are listed on the In 1960, BASF supplements its Deutsche Shell, BASF founds “We must be prepared to carry homes for its employees. Along by catalytic hydrogenation of high office block, a clear symbol BASF starts building production Paris stock exchange at the end range of dyes in line with devel- the first German petrochemical out certain manufacturing projects with the original facilities close nitrogen oxide with hydrogen in of reconstruction and a fresh start. facilities outside Germany in of 1959 and in early 1960 on opments in textile fibers. It adds production plant, Rheinische abroad in the near future in order to Ludwigshafen, convales cent 1956 makes it possible to pro- The Friedrich Engelhorn building 1958 and opens up new markets three Swiss exchanges in Zurich, Palanil and Basacryl for dyeing Olefinwerke GmbH (ROW), in to keep pace with develop ments. homes now exist in Breitnau in duce caprolactam, a precursor is Germany’s first skyscraper built by establishing joint ventures. Basel and Geneva. synthetic fibers to its existing Wesseling on the Rhine River We assume that such measures the Black Forest and in Wester- for synthetic polyamide fibers, with reinforced concrete. BASF and Dow Chemical jointly dyes for wool and cotton. Other between Bonn and Cologne. will also benefit our international land on the North Sea island cost-efficiently. Stockings made Its simple design is remarkable. set up Dow Badische Chemical BASF in Brazil: Idrongal, founded developments follow: Six years The company mainly produces business over the long term.” of Sylt. of this material become afford- The façade consists of 11 million Company in Freeport, Texas, by BASF and Brazilian partners later, the first Cottestren dyes are the plastic polyethylene under able. Engineering plastics with tiny glass mosaic tiles. which produces basic chemicals for the production of polymer developed for cotton/polyester the BASF trademark Lupolen. exceptional properties can now The sales department moves into and fiber intermediates, and later dis persions, Styropor and textile blends. In 1978, the range is ex- Oil displaces coal as a raw be developed. The properties of the Friedrich Engelhorn building fibers. The joint venture, which auxiliaries starts operating in tended to include dyes suitable material for chemical syntheses. the Ultramid range, for example, in March. According to the Annual Dow exits 20 years later, forms the Guaratinguetá in 1955. for printing these blends. Hydrocarbons produced from feature high strength and high Report, “The working conditions springboard for BASF’s current With 12 production plants making oil have demonstrated their melting temperatures. These pro- are pleasant, the building operates U.S. operations. In France, BASF more than 750 products and a The breakneck pace of growth benefits. From now on, BASF’s ducts are used as top-quality economically, and the short dis- founds Dispersions Plastiques total annual capacity of 260,000 during Germany’s economic chemists refine oil, oil derivatives electrical insulating materials for tances ensure organizational S.A.