chemical company basf and producer of industrial minerals omya are working together to create coaterready barrier solutions for paper and cardboard packaging to cater to an increasing demand.basf said in a statement that this collaboration would provide a service for customers in the future, who for capacity and plant technology reasons, cannot prepare formulations and mixtures independently. coaterready solutions consist mainly of pigments, additives and functional barrier dispersions.while basf supplies barrier dispersions, omya provides the pigments and experience to manufacture these products and produces them in its own facilities.the sales channels of omya in europe will carry out the marketing in europe, with the first commercial product to be available in q1.basf recorded sales of about &euro74bn in 2013 and employed more than 112,000 people as of the end of the year.omya produces industrial minerals, mainly fillers and pigments that are derived from calcium carbonate and dolomite, and is a worldwide distributor of specialty chemicals.the company which was founded in 1884 in switzerland primarily caters to markets like forest products fiber based products such as paper, board and tissue, polymers, building materials paints, coatings, sealants, adhesives and construction and life sciences food, feed, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, environment and agriculture.currently, omya operates from more than 180 locations in over 50 countries and employs close to 8,000 employees. 
