BASF is the world’s leading chemical supplier with locations on nearly all continents. With 150 years of accumulated knowledge, BASF has a corporate attitude and vision that is unrivalled by any of their competitors.

BASF’s chemical solutions are internationally recognised as being of excellent quality and expertly targetted for their purpose.

The Post recently had the opportunity to sit down with BASF Chairman and managing director of BASF in Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia, Petrus Ng, to talk about how BASF plans to market its chemical solutions and how he perceives the market in Cambodia.

For BASF now is the right time to enter the Cambodian market in a direct sales capacity as it “has recently emerged as a new strategic market in the Asean region with its fast and steady growth of about seven per cent … growth is expected to remain robust over the medium term”, Ng remarked, adding “Asean is one of BASF’s fastest growing markets and Cambodia plays an important role for us to achieve our ambitious growth in the region”.

The BASF tagline is ‘we create chemistry’, this chemistry results in chemical products that lead to better business solutions for companies everywhere, Ng says, “instead of asking what our chemical solutions are used in, it is easier to ask ‘what are they not used in’”.

So prolific is the use of BASF’s chemical solutions that they are ever present in modern life.

Many companies involved in the foreign direct investment sector could potentially benefit from BASF presence in Cambodia, according to Ng “we see a great potential here and we can certainly support the industry players with our innovative products and solutions”.

In particular, BASF see their products being of great use to Cambodia’s large agriculture sector, “we see that farmers in Cambodia are eager to improve the productivity and the quality of their crops. We offer solutions and expertise that can help them achieve this in a sustainable manner… we see potential in the local market for our agricultural solutions”.

Sustainability is a huge part of what BASF sees as their responsibility to future generations and motivates the company’s behaviour. Recently the company has set itself the goal of making its global production system carbon neutral by 2030.

In this case, when dealing with individual farmers, education is key. Education on the safe use and disposal of products for farmers who utilise them is something that BASF take very seriously.

Although providing their solutions at an accessible price point for the end user is also very important.

“We will explore all opportunities that will make it easy and cost effective for farmers to buy and use our product. To start we are working closely with local distribution partners and many agricultural retailers that are the predominant source for agricultural input for farmers,”said Ng.

An example of how BASF might approach a small scale provincial farming operation would be to begin by talking to local distribution partners and agricultural retailers in the area to understand what people are farming and how.

Through this authentic community connection BASF will find a farmer who is willing to be trained in the correct and safe use of the product and is also willing to try the product for their next crop.

BASF also support this crop demonstration with its innovative products. The farmer would be instructed to treat half of the crop with BASFs product and leave the other half untreated.

Come harvest time, neighbouring farmers and locals are encouraged to come and inspect both sides of the plot as well as taste the results. BASF get to demonstrate their products leading to an increased yield and a higher quality product leading to trust.

“We want to establish BASF as a trusted brand in the mind of farmers. This has been our recipe for success across Asia Pacific and the globe,” said Ng.

BASF are looking forward to having a strong and positive presence in the Kingdom, they have high expectations and believe they can “help support the Kingdom’s sustainable development”.

BASF serves as an excellent example of a timely approach to expansion, laying the infrastructure for each individual market via targetted research and development (R&D).

R&D that is conducted locally for many reasons, not least that BASF specialise in targetted solutions, the best way to target a solution is to be on the ground. Last year alone BASF spent over two billion euros on R&D.

BASFs presence in Cambodia will undoubtedly bring better results and solutions for many sectors, and Ng assured Cambodians that “A company like BASF is so large, it is like an oil tanker, it is lumbering and large but it never stops moving, once the decision to turn the ship is made, BASF is totally committed”, meaning BASF are here to help their Cambodian customers for the long term.