BASF SE plans to invest 10 billion euros (US$13 billion) in Asia-Pacific as it shifts research and procurement to the world's fastest growing chemical market to help double profit there. The Asia-Pacific division, which saw margins fall to 10 percent last year, has a "good chance" to reach the average profitability of the group, Martin Brudermueller, deputy CEO and head of the region, said yesterday in Hong Kong. On a group level, BASF aims to lift margins to 20 percent by the end of the decade from 14 percent now.