(BASF) -- In recognition of the significant growth opportunity associated with the global battery marketplace, BASF is creating a new global business unit that will bring together its current and future battery-related electromobility activities. As part of this transition, a new global business unit ⌠Battery Materials will be formed, effective January 1, 2012. This business unit will integrate the existing battery activities of BASF's Catalysts division, which is focused on cathode materials development; its Intermediates division, which is focused on electrolyte formulations, and BASF Future Business GmbH, which is focused on next-generation lithium battery opportunities. This operating consolidation will take place throughout the first half of 2012, leveraging the collaborative efforts of each of these business teams to ensure a seamless migration for BASF and its market constituents.
Perspectives of development of the polymers markets, pricing issues and other important aspects will be discussed at The Polymers Summit-2011, which will be held in Moscow on November 30, 2011 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. The Summit is organized by MRC with the support of ICIS. The main idea of the Summit is to find a "the golden mean" between producers and converters. When producers receive exactly such margin of production, which helps them to invest in production expansion in order to substitute polymers imports, and the converters receive such price of feedstock that helps them to compete imported finished products. The Summit site gives an access to the live video of the Summit, speakers" presentations, as well as opportunities to ask questions or make appointments to any Summit partcipant.