在陶氏以180億美元購買羅門哈斯（Rohm and Haas）公司，亞什蘭（Ashland）以33億美元收購海格利斯（Hercules）公司后，面對風云變換的行業前景，有報道稱德國化學生產商巴斯夫正考慮收購格雷斯和它還沒有破產的公司。
泰晤士報星期三報道了巴斯夫的資產負債表及公司對未來增長的展望，稱其有意向收購美國Rockwood化學和德國Cognis GmbH公司，對此官方拒絕評論。但是七月初期集團CEO Juergen Hambrecht曾向投資者表示，他期待化學部分有更多的整合。
巴斯夫對談判并不陌生，它曾經在2006年花費將近100億美元收購催化劑制造商 Engelhard公司，Degussa AG和CropDesign NV的建筑材料業務，還有樹脂制造商Johnson Polymer。
位于哥倫比亞的格雷斯建立于十八世紀五十年代，他的建立者是愛爾蘭移民，曾經的紐約市市長William Russell Grace。公司經過多年的經營由一個海運公司轉為化學公司，曾經一度主要集中在米勒釀酒（Miller Brewing）公司。對于這個公司來說售賣將是格雷斯最好的結局。
格雷斯近些年的表現動蕩不已，包括石棉礦責任和水污染事件，電影《公民行動》（A Civil Action）即是以此事件為背景拍攝。在2001年四月格雷斯申請了破產重組來處理它超過10億美元石棉礦責任和各種環境保護罰款。
附英文：
Report: BASF could pursue W.R. Grace, other chemicals targets
Report: BASF could pursue W.R. Grace, other chemicals targets
German chemical giant BASF SE, facing a changing landscape in the wake of Dow Chemical Co.'s $18 billion purchase of Rohm and Haas Co. and Ashland Inc.'s $3.3 billion buy of Hercules Inc., is reportedly considering an acquisition of W.R. Grace & Co. out of bankruptcy.
The Financial Times Deutschland reported Wednesday that BASF, with a solid balance sheet and an appetite for growth, is also looking at U.S.-based Rockwood Chemical and Cognis GmbH of Germany. Company officials declined comment, but earlier in July CEO Juergen Hambrecht told investors he expects more consolidation in the chemicals sector.
BASF is no stranger to dealmaking, having spent nearly $10 billion in 2006 to acquire catalyst maker Engelhard Corp. as well as the construction chemicals business of Degussa AG, CropDesign NV and resin maker Johnson Polymer.
A sale would be a fitting final chapter for Columbia, Md.-based W.R. Grace, which was founded in the 1850s by Irish immigrant and one-time New York Mayor William Russell Grace. The company over the years transformed itself from a shipping firm to chemicals, and for a brief time held a majority stake in Miller Brewing Co.
But its more recent history has been full of potholes, including asbestos claims and a water contamination suit that was the basis of the movie "A Civil Action." Grace filed for Chapter 11 in April 2001 to help deal with its more than $1 billion in asbestos liabilities and various Environmental Protection Agency fines.
