New Biotech Lab To Give BASF U.S. Presence

The chemical giant, looking for a better research climate, joins other German firms in the Western Hemisphere Eluding pressure from environmentalists and biotechnology regulators at home while looking for new markets to conquer abroad, the West German chemical giant BASF Corp. is establishing a foothold in the United States, with a $100 million research facility at the Massachusetts Biotechnology Park in Worcester. BASF's decision in 1988 to set up shop in the U.S. is the latest example of an

Written byLisa Bain

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The chemical giant, looking for a better research climate, joins other German firms in the Western Hemisphere

Eluding pressure from environmentalists and biotechnology regulators at home while looking for new markets to conquer abroad, the West German chemical giant BASF Corp. is establishing a foothold in the United States, with a $100 million research facility at the Massachusetts Biotechnology Park in Worcester.

BASF's decision in 1988 to set up shop in the U.S. is the latest example of an exodus of West German biotechnology companies from their homeland. More recently, Bayer, USA announced that it would open biotechnology labs in West Haven, Conn., and Berkeley, Calif.; and Henkel Corp. chose Santa Rosa, Calif., as its new biotechnology home. Meanwhile, Hoechst AG's nearly completed $38 million biotechnology facility in Frankfurt has sat idle since 1987, while West German politicians and scientists wrangle over rules and regulations to govern the biotechnology industry.

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