Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) is managing business travel in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) for BASF, the world’s leading chemical company, effective January 1, 2008. In addition, BASF has turned its internal travel booking service over to CWT. The travel management company has been servicing BASF in the Asia-Pacific region since 2005.

In each of the EMEA countries where CWT will manage the chemical giant’s business travel program, a CWT business travel center will service BASF travelers. By mid-year, BASF will have a European-wide online booking tool that will enable them to drive savings and facilitate point-to-point bookings for travelers.

 

“Over the last few years, managing corporate travel has become highly complex. There are so many pricing models and distribution channels that BASF can no longer provide a sustainably competitive travel booking service. This is why we are turning our internal travel booking service over to Carlson Wagonlit Travel and asking them to help us manage our business travel program overall,” said Dr. Georg Wellinghoff, BASF procurement manager for Logistic Solutions. He added that the decision of BASF to use CWT as its travel management company and to consolidate the travel program in Europe was based on the latter’s vast global network and offering, its expertise in seamlessly integrating travel management technology and procedures, and its proven ability to meet the highest service level requirements. He also said that BASF-employed travel specialists who move to CWT could potentially enjoy greater career opportunities in their field than they would with BASF.

 

Claudia Tensierowski, who is responsible for global travel management at BASF and heads a team of four said, “We are pleased to expand our working relationship with Carlson Wagonlit Travel beyond the Asia-Pacific region. By consolidating our travel program with CWT in EMEA, we are one step further in our efforts to effectively manage our travel program on a global basis. This will be a benefit for our company and our travelers alike.”

 

Commenting on the agreement, Martina Eggler, vice president Strategic Sales & Account Management, Marketing Central & Eastern Europe for CWT said, “We have a mutual goal. CWT will contribute its expertise and its best practice approach to support BASF and help them derive the greatest benefits in terms of savings, service and security from an internationally consolidated travel program.”

 

CWT will service BASF in the following EMEA countries: Algeria, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Uzbekistan.
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