BASF to increase N. American coatings prices

By David Reed, UT EditorSouthfield, Michigan-BASF Corp. will raise prices for all of its industrial coatings products by 6 percent, with effect from all shipments made on or after May 1, 2005.This increase will apply to customers in the United States, Canada andMexico, a 23 March statement said.”The escalation of raw material costs during the fourth quarter of 2004 and into the first months of 2005 have made this increase necessary,” said Thomas Hoenle, director of the firm’s Industrial Coatings business in North America. “BASF will continue to leverage our resources to lessen the impact of this increase on our customers,” his statement added.”