BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions serves customers in many industries including automotive, aerospace, air quality, semiconductors and hydrogen economy, and provides full loop services with its precious metals trading and recycling offering. With a focus on circular solutions and sustainability, ECMS is committed to helping our customers create a cleaner, more sustainable world. BASF’s ECMS division is the world’s leading supplier of environmental and process catalysts. The group offers exceptional expertise in the development of technologies that protect the air we breathe, produce the fuels that power our world and ensure efficient production of a wide variety of chemicals, plastics and other products, including advanced battery materials. We believe mobility’s future lies in more than just products. So where others come to a full stop, we’re just getting started—by leveraging the full power of BASF to continually advance our comprehensive package of sustainable solutions that enable us to travel further, as well as above and beyond. Protecting the air we breathe from harmful emissions through innovation. BASF leverages unsurpassed expertise in the development of emission control technologies for a wide range of market applications. BASF is committed to advancing and promoting environmentally-sound technologies to achieve a sustainable future in aviation. Offering 50 years of experience developing intelligent solutions for air quality over a wide range of applications — enabling clean air for a healthier, more sustainable future. With more than 150 years of experience in metal sourcing, trading, and hedging, we’ve built tangible results for our industrial customers. With more than 100 years of experience in recycling materials, BASF’s end-to-end recycling program is known and trusted around the globe. As a leader in precious-metal thermocouples for many years, BASF recently applied its technological expertise to optical-based temperature measurement. Developing and producing pharmaceutical ingredients for more than 75 years, enabling us to provide the solutions you need to meet today's and tomorrow's challenges for your pharmaceutical business. Find the latest news and media information for BASF’s ECMS division, headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, USA, the world’s leading supplier of environmental and process catalysts. Explore this collection of resources to learn more about our innovative research and Catalyst solutions.

Choose your language

This section is available in the following languages: English

BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions breaks ground on new green hydrogen investment in Budenheim, Germany

  • New facility will produce electrolysis and fuel cell components to support the global energy transition
  • Production is planned to commence in the summer of 2025
  • Joint investment with other partners

Budenheim, Germany, July 10, 2024 – BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS) commenced construction of its first state-of-the-art production facility for green hydrogen and fuel cell components in Budenheim, Germany, near Frankfurt. The products produced at this site will include newly developed low-iridium-loaded catalyst coated membranes (CCMs), a key functional part for proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis. This will complement the Celtec® membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for high-temperature fuel cells, which will also be produced at the facility. MEAs are critical components in fuel cells that enable hydrogen together with oxygen from the air to be converted efficiently into electricity.

The ECMS hydrogen business operates globally, with activities in Europe, North America and Asia. As the renewable energy ecosystem develops rapidly, the production of green hydrogen from water electrolysis will become a crucial pillar in supporting the global energy transition. The new facility will enable the commercial launch of newly developed CCMs for PEM electrolyzers with multi-gigawatt capacity to serve the global market. This investment allows ECMS to expand its capabilities in precious metals, catalysts and recycling, positioning itself as an integrated, full-loop, end-to-end solution provider across a range of product lines in the green hydrogen space.

“This new site in Budenheim fulfills a key part of our global strategy for hydrogen,” said Tim Ingle, Senior Vice President of Precious Metal Services and Recycling for ECMS. “As a global leader in precious metals services and catalyst recycling, the investment solidifies our support for the growing hydrogen economy with circular solutions that improve performance and reduce costs for PEM electrolyzers and fuel cells.”

“Our new products have progressed successfully from R&D into pilot scale. Production in Budenheim signifies a major milestone for the market introduction of these products and positions us in a strong place to leverage this sizeable business opportunity,” said Saeed Alerasool, Senior Vice President R&D and Application for ECMS.

The opening of the Budenheim site is planned for the summer of 2025. The facility, on the premises of an industrial site, is situated in the center of Europe within the Rhein-Main metropolitan area. The project is being developed with Trigona Fuel Cell Components GmbH and Grundstücksverwaltung Rheinufer GmbH & Co KG.

Betsy Arnone

ECMS Global Media Contact Precious Metals

+1 (973) 519-9808

Send email

Katarzyna Postawa

ECMS EMEA Media Contact Precious Metals

+48 882001062

Send email
Thumbnail for: 2024 Budenheim groundbreaking news release 071024

2024 Budenheim groundbreaking news release 071024

pdf (113.636 KB)
Thumbnail for: News Release Budenheim Groundbreaking Simplified Chinese

News Release Budenheim Groundbreaking Simplified Chinese

pdf (280.492 KB)