BASF
BASF Pharma Solutions manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients, excipients, and chemical intermediates for global pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetics companies, operating across five drug delivery platforms and supported by the myBASFWorld and ZoomLab digital platforms.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1865
- HeadquartersFlorham Park, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What BASF does
BASF Pharma Solutions is the pharmaceutical ingredients arm of BASF SE, the publicly listed German multinational chemical company (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: BAS) founded in 1865 as Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik. The unit manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), pharmaceutical excipients, chemical intermediates, and fine-chemical catalysts for the global pharmaceutical industry, claiming the position of world's largest manufacturer of APIs such as ibuprofen and omega-3 fatty acids, and operator of the world's largest portfolio of chemical raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry, spanning more than 700 intermediates (Building Blocks, Chiral Auxiliaries, Protective Groups, Reagents, and Solvents). Product offerings are organized across five drug delivery platforms — Orals, Topicals, Parenterals, Solubilization, and Biopharma Ingredients — reflecting the unit's horizontal segmentation strategy across solid oral, dermal, injectable, solubility-challenged, and biologic dosage forms.
The business operates a B2B enterprise model, selling APIs, excipients, and intermediates under quote-based, one-time-purchase commercial terms to pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetics customers worldwide. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales by a global team of industry experts and product specialists with two proprietary digital platforms: myBASFWorld, a customer portal providing centralized product documentation, regulatory information, ordering, and real-time shipment tracking; and ZoomLab, a digital formulation development and optimization tool. The firmographics indicate a U.S. footprint anchored in Florham Park, New Jersey, with 10,000+ employees referenced for the U.S. operations, alongside broader European (Germany) and Asia Pacific (China, India) presence.
Revenue mechanics are anchored in volume manufacturing of bulk APIs and a broad intermediates catalog rather than licensed or recurring software revenue; the input discloses no specific revenue, pricing, or ARR figures for the Pharma Solutions unit. The unit has executed bolt-on M&A, including Polymer Ventures in January 2019 and AgriMetis in September 2020, and continues to invest in digital tooling as a customer engagement layer around its physical product portfolio.
BASF firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BASF
- Legal name
- BASF SE
- Website
- https://pharma.basf.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1865
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- BASF Pharma Solutions manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients, excipients, and chemical intermediates for global pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetics companies, operating across five drug delivery platforms and supported by the myBASFWorld and ZoomLab digital platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BASF industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pharmaceutical Ingredients
- NAICS
- Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Generic APIs & Intermediates (Active Ingredients) (HLAIABAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Biologic API/Drug Substance Manufacturing Services (HLAAAKAA), Small-Molecule CMC Documentation & Regulatory Support (DMF/CMC) (HLAGAHAM)
Keywords
Where BASF is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Florham Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
BASF business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs): Manufacturing and sale of APIs including ibuprofen and omega-3 fatty acids; world's largest manufacturer of these products
- Pharmaceutical Excipients: Production and supply of innovative excipients for pharmaceutical formulations
- Chemical Intermediates: Portfolio of more than 700 products including Building Blocks, Chiral Auxiliaries, Protective Groups, Reagents and Solvents for chemical synthesis in pharmaceutical industry
- Catalysts: Fine-chemical catalysts and metals-management services
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
BASF product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BASF Pharma Solutions manufactures and supplies active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), pharmaceutical excipients, and chemical intermediates for the global pharmaceutical industry. The business operates across dedicated drug delivery platforms (Orals, Topicals, Parenterals, Solubilization, Biopharma Ingredients) and provides a chemical intermediates portfolio of more than 700 products plus fine-chemical catalysts with metals-management services, supported by the myBASFWorld and ZoomLab digital platforms.
Product overview
BASF Pharma Solutions is a comprehensive pharmaceutical portfolio offering a diverse range of products organized across multiple drug delivery platforms: Orals, Topicals, Parenterals, Solubilization, and Biopharma Ingredients. As the world's leading manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) including ibuprofen and omega-3 fatty acids, BASF provides innovative excipients and active ingredients supported by digital platforms myBASFWorld and ZoomLab. The portfolio includes a chemical intermediates portfolio of more than 700 products (Building Blocks, Chiral Auxiliaries, Protective Groups, Reagents, and Solvents) and fine-chemical catalysts with metals-management services. The myBASFWorld portal provides centralized access to technical data, regulatory information, ordering, and shipment tracking, while ZoomLab offers formulation tools for pharmaceutical development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use BASF
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
BASF technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
BASF partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BASF competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Johnson Matthey: British specialty chemicals company with a Health division offering APIs, controlled substances and fine chemicals for pharma. Comparable to BASF in pharmaceutical materials, with overlap particularly in catalysts and active ingredients.
- Cambrex: US-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in small-molecule APIs and intermediates. Direct peer to BASF's chemical intermediates and API manufacturing business, serving similar pharma customers.
- Lonza Group: Swiss-based global CDMO and API manufacturer offering small-molecule APIs, biologics manufacturing and drug delivery platforms. Directly comparable to BASF Pharma Solutions across APIs, excipients and biopharma ingredients, with comparable B2B enterprise sales motion to global pharma customers.
- Siegfried Holding: Swiss specialty manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients and intermediates serving the global pharma industry. Direct peer in small-molecule API and chemical intermediates with overlapping product portfolio and customer base.
- Avantor: US-based supplier of mission-critical products and services to customers in the life sciences and advanced technologies industries, with a strong excipients and bioprocessing portfolio. Direct peer to BASF in excipients, buffers and biopharma ingredients for pharma manufacturing.
- Evonik Industries: German specialty chemicals company with a Health Care business line producing APIs, excipients and drug delivery solutions (e.g., RESOMER polymers, EUDRAGIT coatings). Closely comparable to BASF Pharma Solutions in pharmaceutical polymers, excipients and API manufacturing for global pharma.
- Pfizer CentreOne: Pfizer's contract manufacturing and API services arm offering small-molecule API manufacturing and intermediates to external pharma customers. Direct peer to BASF in contract API supply, leveraging Pfizer's manufacturing infrastructure.
- DSM-Firmenich: Dutch nutrition and pharma ingredients company producing APIs, vitamins, and pharmaceutical excipients including omega-3. Directly comparable to BASF in omega-3 and nutraceutical-pharma crossover products.
Broad incumbents
- Merck KGaA (Life Science): German multinational with a Life Science division supplying pharma/biopharma manufacturing inputs including excipients, APIs and process chemicals. Broader portfolio than BASF Pharma Solutions (also includes lab supplies and electronics) but a major direct competitor in pharmaceutical raw materials.
- DuPont (Electronics & Industrial / Healthcare): US diversified chemicals company with a Healthcare segment producing excipients and biopharma processing materials. Broader portfolio than BASF Pharma Solutions but overlapping in pharmaceutical excipients and process solutions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
BASF social profiles
Digital presenceBASF financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BASF leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
BASF funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BASF M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BASF
What does BASF do?
BASF Pharma Solutions manufactures and supplies active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), pharmaceutical excipients, and chemical intermediates for the global pharmaceutical industry. The business operates across dedicated drug delivery platforms (Orals, Topicals, Parenterals, Solubilization, Biopharma Ingredients) and provides a chemical intermediates portfolio of more than 700 products plus fine-chemical catalysts with metals-management services, supported by the myBASFWorld and ZoomLab digital platforms.
Is BASF a public or private company?
BASF is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was BASF founded?
BASF was founded in 1865. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is BASF based?
BASF is headquartered in Florham Park, United States, in the North America region.
How does BASF make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) is the primary driver. The others are pharmaceutical Excipients, chemical Intermediates and catalysts.
Who are BASF's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Johnson Matthey, Cambrex, Lonza Group, Siegfried Holding, Avantor, Evonik Industries, Pfizer CentreOne and DSM-Firmenich. Broad incumbents are Merck KGaA (Life Science) and DuPont (Electronics & Industrial / Healthcare).
Does BASF have an API?
No public API is recorded for BASF.
What industry is BASF in?
BASF's product category is Pharmaceutical Ingredients. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIABAG, Generic APIs & Intermediates (Active Ingredients), with a secondary code of HLAAAKAA, Biologic API/Drug Substance Manufacturing Services. Its NAICS code is 325412 and its SIC code is 2834.