BASF Corp. will close the Johnson Polymer plant and offices in Sturtevant, resulting in the layoff of up to 200 employees there. The jobs in the emulsion and resin production areas, research and development and the overall business will be relocated to Wyandotte, Mich., BASF said Friday afternoon. BASF plans to invest $100 million in a new plant in Wyandotte scheduled for completion by 2009. Until the new plant is completed, Johnson Polymer's former owner, JohnsonDiversey of Sturtevant, will run the polymer business under contract with BASF. A spokesman for BASF said the company hopes to "retain as many of our Wisconsin-based staff as possible" and that most would be relocated to Michigan. BASF said the city of Wyandotte had offered "an attractive package of tax incentives and credits." Meanwhile, BASF said the relocation is necessary "because JohnsonDiversey elected not to sell the Sturetevant facilities to BASF." BASF acquired Johnson Polymer on July 1 for $470 million. It makes water-based resins, primarily for the printing and coatings industries. JohnsonDiversey is controlled by the Johnson family, which also owns Johnson Wax.