At BASF’s sprawling Freeport, Texas, facility, production manager James Thornley is proving that strong leadership is rooted in empathy, innovation and a deep commitment to people.
Since joining the site four years ago, Thornley has guided his team through record-breaking production, safety achievements and sustainability milestones — all while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and community connection.
Leading with purpose: BASF’s Thornley champions innovation, safety, people-first culture
Thornley manages the daily production, personnel development and training as well as leading EHS compliance and supporting the needs of customers for the North American Dispersions and Resins business at BASF’s Freeport site. With a passion for operational excellence, he continuously seeks ways to optimize efficiency while maintaining the highest safety and environmental standards.
“You must have a strong balance of empathy for people to understand what your team is working through while also being strong in your leadership and sense of values,” he said. “Helping people understand their strengths and where they need to improve, and helping them do so, is what makes a strong team leader for this role.”
In the U.S., BASF is headquartered in Florham Park, N.J., and is the North American affiliate of BASF SE in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The company has approximately 16,000 employees in North America and a workforce of about 112,000 worldwide. In 2024, BASF boasted approximately €65.3 billion in sales worldwide with about $19.7 billion of that generated in North America.
Leading with purpose: BASF’s Thornley champions innovation, safety, people-first culture
In 1958, Freeport became BASF’s first manufacturing site outside Europe and is BASF’s second largest and only other Verbund site in North America. This milestone set the foundation for BASF’s continued investment in innovative solutions and sustainable growth within the region.
The Freeport site is one of six Verbund sites globally. The facility has 27 production units and makes numerous products for different BASF businesses, including architectural-grade latexes found in paints and paper products, such as paper plate coatings.
As the site evolves operationally, so too does its workforce. The culture at the site continues to change with each new generation of employees, he said.
“Managing multiple generations and their differences is one of my biggest challenges but also brings a lot of fulfillment because we end up creating a team better than before,” Thornley said. “The workforce today is driven by collaboration and purpose, and adapting to these shifting dynamics is key to our long-term success.”
For more information, visit basf.com.
