Chemical and plastics manufacturer, Badische Anilin und Soda-Fabrik (BASF) founded 1865 in Mannheim, Baden by Frederick Engelhorn. The company produced chemicals necessary for synthetic dye production, notably soda and acids but later diversified into the production of other chemicals, acids and fertilisers. They began producing explosives during the First World War, they founded IG Farben as a joint venture in 1925, expanded into rubber and fuels and, with AEG, produced first magnetic tape recorder in 1935. IG Farben dissolved in November 1945 but was refounded in 1952 under the BASF name and then expanded overseas to become the world's biggest chemical company.