BASF Report 2021 Management’s Report – Industrial Solutions 81 Income from operations (EBIT) before special items rose consid- Division sales by region erably compared with 2020. This was attributable to considerably (Location of customer) higher EBIT before special items in the Dispersions & Resins division, Divisions South America, Total Europe North America Asia Pacific Africa, Middle East (million €) mainly as a result of volume growth. Dispersions & Resins 40% 24% 30% 6% 5,681 By contrast, EBIT before special items declined slightly in the Perfor- Performance Chemicals 40% 23% 27% 10% 3,195 mance Chemicals division. This was primarily due to the increase in fixed costs mainly from higher bonus provisions, lower margins due Division, products, applications to higher raw materials prices, and negative currency effects. This Products Customer industries and applications could not be offset by the division’s positive volume performance. Dispersions & Resins Polymer dispersions, resins, additives, electronic materials Coatings, construction, paper, printing and packaging, adhesives and electronics industries At €965 million, EBIT was €335 million above the prior-year figure. Performance Chemicals Antioxidants, light stabilizers and flame retardants for plastic Chemicals, plastics, consumer goods, automotive and transportation Special items amounted to –€42 million in 2021 after –€192 million applications industries, as well as energy and resources in 2020. Special charges in the previous year related mainly to the Fuel and refinery additives, polyisobutene, brake fluids and engine carve-out of the pigments business and impairments. coolants, lubricant additives and basestocks, components for metalworking fluids and compounded lubricants For the outlook for 2022, see page 148 onward Process chemicals for the extraction of oil, gas, metals and minerals; chemicals for enhanced oil recovery Kaolin minerals Production capacities of selected products in the regionsa Annual capacity Product South America, Europe North America Asia Pacific Africa, Middle East (metric tons) Acrylics dispersions • • • • 1,783,000 Formulation additives • • • 67,000 Polyisobutene • • 265,000 a All capacities are included at 100%, including plants belonging to joint operations and joint ventures.