Partnership eye to eye
Alice Glättli, BASF is represented in almost 100 countries with its own laboratories and production sites. How did the partnership with Empa come about?
We are convinced that the pressing issues of the future can only be solved with innovations from the world of chemistry. This motivates us every day to develop solutions for the greatest challenges of our time – so that we can make a contribution to better protecting the climate, making optimum use of limited resources and supplying a rapidly growing world population with food, energy and clean water. Among other things, we rely on the strength of co-creation, the joint development of solutions. After all, innovations are often not created in individual companies or research laboratories, but through the exchange of knowledge and experience. Partnerships are therefore the key to our success. BASF has a research unit whose task is to evaluate technology trends worldwide and identify future technologies. This unit links external and internal networks. The Swiss team of this Scouting & Academic Collaborations unit focuses on the scouting and incubation of technologies that enable the sparing use of resources and energy, improve the quality of life in terms of acoustics, light, air and other aspects relevant to health, and contribute to the circular economy. In the search for excellent partners in these areas, one inevitably ends up at Empa, ETH Zurich and EPFL.
What were BASF's motivations for having a team of its own based at Empa?
Developing solutions for our customers' sustainability requirements is generally a step-by-step process. This involves developing ideas together, exchanging information frequently and promptly, and working closely together. The best way to do this is to work at a common location. The Empa campus offers an ideal platform for bringing together the know-how of BASF experts with the top class of Swiss research institutions as well as innovative start-ups and other industrial partners.
BASF is the main partner of the NEST unit STEP2. What concrete insights does BASF now gain from the realization of this unit?
During the construction phase of STEP2, we used the unique, collaborative approach of NEST for several pioneering innovation projects. For example, we worked with other partners to develop an innovative acoustic box that can be integrated into the ceiling. The 3D printing process used makes it possible to easily adapt the box to the shape of the ceiling, optimize the geometry and performance of the box and improve its acoustic properties. A recyclable clay foam from BASF is used inside the box, which ensures pleasant room acoustics – and delivers an amazing insulation result with minimal use of materials. We have also developed processes and materials based on the principles of upcycling to create high-performance surface coverings from waste materials. Thanks to innovative binding agents, old denim fibers can be recycled and used for the production of floor tiles. A similar process enables the production of durable and high-quality furniture surfaces from coffee grounds. The real-life implementation of these technologies in NEST is of enormous importance to us and therefore also to our customers, so we are delighted that we will be able to continue using STEP2 as a co-creation platform and innovation workshop in the future.
