German-owned chemicals company BASF has put out a call to specialists and 'interested amateurs' to enter a competition to suggest exciting ideas for new plastics, applications for plastics or processes for producing plastics.

The competition is not only open to people who work with plastics, says Thomas Fritzsche, a plastics sales manager at BASF. Anyone and everyone with an idea is welcome.

'Don't limit yourself by wondering whether something is feasible or not,' runs a statement from the company. 'Just let your dreams take you where you want to go and tell us your vision of a new world of plastics that lies ahead.'

BASF launched the competition alongside K2004, the international plastics fair held at the end of October in Dusseldorf, Germany.

The company presented several new products at the meeting, including its new Lumogen near-infrared (NIR) absorbers for laser welding of plastics, which BASF claims will offer novel applications in medical technology, the automobile industry and in electronics.

Details of the competition can be found on the BASF website, deadline 30 November 2004.