BASF Courts AI Data-Center Demand While Evonik Saga Simmers

BASF launched GLYTHERMIN coolant and widened Ultrason plastics for AI data centers, while its Evonik approach faces political resistance.

BASF is quietly building a second growth engine around the hardware that powers artificial intelligence, even as a much louder corporate drama plays out around its interest in rival Evonik.

On October 8, the Ludwigshafen-based chemicals group launched GLYTHERMIN, a new product platform aimed at liquid-cooled data centers. The flagship offering, GLYTHERMIN DC PG 25, has been qualified as an NVIDIA DSX Ready Coolant — a designation that positions BASF squarely in the path of surging demand for efficient cooling, as modern server farms running compute-heavy workloads throw off enormous amounts of heat.

That push into digital infrastructure is not limited to fluids. Three days earlier, on October 5, BASF widened the application range of its Ultrason high-performance plastics. The polyarylethersulfones are designed for electrical and electronic components used in AI data centers, the build-out of high-speed internet networks and electric mobility.

By extending these product lines, management is betting on structural trends to gradually reduce its reliance on classic base chemicals. Specialty materials for server architectures and networking hardware tend to deliver steadier margins than the standard business, which remains exposed to cyclical swings.

Evonik: price, books and political friction

Running alongside those product launches, takeover speculation continues to occupy market participants. According to media reports, BASF indicated a willingness to discuss raising its offer for Evonik after an initial bid of EUR 22.15 per share was rejected — but attached any further talks to first gaining access to Evonik's books. BASF has said the course and outcome of the exploratory discussions remain open.

Handelsblatt reported that investors and shareholder representatives expect a fresh approach, while political resistance is mounting in North Rhine-Westphalia. According to media reports, the state government there has come out against a BASF takeover of Evonik. Any such combination would therefore face considerable political and site-related hurdles that go well beyond purely financial negotiations.

A sector breather from trade policy

Hopes for a shift in trade policy gave the European chemicals industry a lift on Wednesday. Ahead of an upcoming EU summit, reports of possible protective measures against chemical imports from China moved into investors' focus.

News agency dpa-AFX identified that summit topic as the driving factor behind the increased interest in sector stocks. BASF shares rose 1.9% on Wednesday, closing at EUR 52.41.

Europe's chemicals industry has long labored under competitive pressure from cheap deliveries out of the Far East. Should genuine safeguards against Chinese imports actually be put in motion at the European level, producers could see tangible relief on prices and margins.

In today's trading the stock is moving modestly, changing hands at EUR 52.27 for a slight daily loss of 0.3%. Over the year, however, the paper has held on to its recovery: since the start of the year BASF shows a gain of 18%.

October 28 looms large

Hard data on the group's operating performance is due shortly. On October 28, 2026, at 07:00 CET, BASF will publish its quarterly statement for the third quarter of 2026. A conference call with the management board will follow, covering the financial figures, international demand trends and the company's strategic initiatives. Investors are likely to use the release to gauge how the global demand picture is affecting the chemicals giant's balance sheet.