"At BASF we believe that Innovations are the backbone to the path to progress. And the Science Express is a truly innovative concept. We are proud to participate in such an exclusive and unique project," said Mr. Prasad Chandran, Chairman BASF Group in India and Head South Asia. Commenting on BASF’s contribution on coating the entire train white, he added, "I am glad that our expertise and relevant products have been of use, owing to a strong presence in India - especially in automotive coatings and refinish products."
Elaborating on BASF Coating’s commitment to the Indian market, Raimar Jahn, President of the BASF Group's Coatings Division, said, "The Science Express shows BASF`s commitment to the coatings market in India which clearly represents a growth region for us. As a global supplier of coatings we deliver intelligent solutions both worldwide and in India. To strenghten our regional presence, we recently set up a new CED (Cathodic Electro Deposition) manufacturing plant and a state-of-the-art Coatings Application centre in Mangalore, South India in June 2007."
The new high-capacity, automated CED plant in Mangalore manufactures BASF’s new generation e-coat CathoGuard 500. The product offers excellent smoothness, optimal edge coverage and better throw power and is ideally suited for use in next generation OEM painting technologies. In October 2006, BASF Coatings also opened a new state-of-the-art application center in Mangalore for the development of automotive OEM coatings and better customer support. Recent developments like the CED plant and the coatings application centre will reinforce BASF Coating’s leading position in India and ensure that the company is a preferred supplier to its customers.
The Science Express was formally inaugurated by the German Chancellor, Dr. Angela Merkel and the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on October 30, 2007 in New Delhi, India. After an initial pilot run of 7 cities and an overwhelming response by 68000 kids and their families, the train has begun its eight-month nationwide journey on December 1, 2007.