BASF’s 150th anniversary year is off to a great start, due in a large part to the chemical company’s innovative crop protection business. Compared with the first quarter of 2014, sales grew by 3% to €20.1 billion ($22.5 billion USD) in the first quarter of this year. Sales in the Agricultural Solutions segment rose by 15% to €1.9 billion ($2.1 billion), as a result of increased contributions from Europe and North America.

“Our chemicals and our crop protection businesses performed very successfully; earnings in these segments increased significantly,” said Dr. Kurt Bock, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, at the company’s recent shareholders meeting.

2015 is a special year because BASF turned 150 on April 6. “It is a special accomplishment for a company to reach its 150th anniversary. This would not have been possible without the many employees who worked for BASF in the past and work for BASF today,” said Bock.

Based on the number of registered patents, BASF is one of the 10 most innovative companies in the world. More than 10,000 researchers work at BASF worldwide.

In addition, BASF has announced Wayne T. Smith is the new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey. He succeeds Hans Engel, who as Chief Financial Officer for BASF SE, will relocate to the company’s global headquarters in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and assume additional responsibilities on BASF’s Board of Executive Directors.