EVANS CITY — Driving by the quiet BASF facility, people might not realize that the world's leading chemical company is right before their eyes.

This is because the company works hard to maintain an atmosphere that its surrounding neighbors will perceive as safe and sound.

"We go above compliance," said Mark Finch, manager of maintenance and site services at BASF. "We make sure our neighbors feel safe next door."

Employees specialize in manufacturing borane compounds and potassium metal products that are used to manufacture pharmaceuticals for various therapies, including drugs that help fight or treat arthritis, hypertension, diabetes and erectile dysfunction.

The site also produces potassium superoxide, used mainly as an oxygen source in personal safety equipment such as self-contained breathing apparatuses.

"They're dangerous," safety specialist Greg Haughey said, referring to all the chemicals at the plant. "However, by realizing the dangers of the chemicals and using responsible methods, we can manage things safely."

Walking in and out of the 40 buildings that are on less than half of the 76-acre property, it is obvious that the company stresses safety first. The grounds are highly regulated, and the company reports all materials that it owns to the county.

The area is gated, and visitors must show two forms of identification before they can pass through the doors for a supervised visit. There are warning signs all over the facility labeling chemical storage areas.

Instead of everything being under one roof, there are multiple, smaller buildings that allow employees to control an emergency situation, such as a fire or spill, Finch said. These occasions rarely occur and have never been a problem, Finch added.

There are three small lunchrooms that are away from potentially toxic products, such as huge bags of potassium chloride. Two sheds are away from the other buildings to allow employees to smoke in a contained area away from flammable materials.

The company even has its own wastewater treatment program.

"It's just being a good neighbor," Finch said.

Since 1939, BASF, one of the leading companies in borane chemistry, has worked with companies from around the world to develop new technologies, polymers, performance products, agricultural products, colorants, catalysts, agricultural products, automotive and industrial coatings, and fine chemicals.

"Through the chemicals and pharmaceutical companies, we're enhancing the quality of life," Finch said. "You look at people who had a heart problem, and now they can control it."

A majority of BASF's products are shipped to pharmaceutical companies in Europe and Asia. They are moved in a cylinder, resembling a propane tank, that can be handheld or fit a tanker truck. The products can be shipped in a powder or a liquid state, and ships and airplanes are used to ship internationally.

"We increased the volume of our product in 2003," Finch said. "From what we plan on shipping in 2008, we will see a 40 percent increase in volume."

Internationally, the company employs 95,000 employees. There are 15,500 employees in North America.

The company's national headquarters is in New Jersey, and its international headquarters is in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

The Evans City location has 140 employees who work in chemistry, engineering, quality assurance, marketing, shipping and receiving.

Employees who moved to the area for employment said they have no regrets.

"My family loves it. We're involved in cub scouting, soccer and T-ball," said Calvin Emanuel, global product manager at BASF. "It was very easy to come to this community."

Emanuel has worked throughout the country for the company for more than 10 years.

"What I like about the small plant is that I get to not only see the design of something, but we're involved in starting it up," said Deborah Mastrostefano, senior mechanical engineer at BASF. "Then the construction people get it built and move on. With all of us in one place, I hear what worked well and what didn't work well. You get to learn more for the next project."

Chemical production at the site started in 1941. Callery Chemical, a division of MSA, operated the facility from 1946 until it was sold to BASF in 2003. That year, the borough became home to BASF's Inorganics Division.

One of BASF's first tasks was to manufacture a portable breathing apparatus for miners and soldiers in the navy. Shortly after, the company began creating chemicals for pharmaceutical products, becoming the leading manufacturer of borane and potassium products for the pharmaceutical industry.

In 2006, the Evan City site brought in about $14.3 billion of BASF's $66.1 billion global sales.

"We are so fortunate to have a research and development staff in house," Finch said. "We have a strong future ahead."

BASF recently invested more than $5 million in technology and equipment to strengthen its production processes and to support the company's continued commitment to safety and environmental protection, Finch said.