11.30.09
CEI Forms Partnership with L’Onvie Laboratories
Cosmetic Essence Inc. (CEI), a Holmdel, NJ based contract manufacturer for the personal care and household industries, and L’Onvie Laboratories have formed a development partnership. According to Bill Zrebiec, CEI’s senior vice president of R&D, CEI has finalized an agreement to join the Blue Sky development and academic reach of L’Onvie Laboratories with those of CEI’s R&D.
L’Onvie’s innovation network includes more than 100 scientists, formulators and engineers with direct access to Harvard Medical School, Tsinghua University-Longliqi Research Foundation and Biological Research Center, China Medical University and Shanghai JiaoTong University. These alliances are paramount in developing platforms used throughout L’Onvie’s formulas, all of which will be produced at CEI.
According to CEI, product technologies slated for 2010 include: Anti-Dark Circle, Total Sun Protection,and Skin Defense Technology V2, which combines Resveratrol with traditional Chinese medicine in a liposomal delivery system for cellular protection and defense against environmental stress.
“As branded companies transition from vertically integrated organizations, the CEI and L’Onvie manufacturing and innovation alliance allows our customers to focus resources on their sales and marketing core competency,” Zrebiec said.
More info: Liza Devaney, ldevaney@ cosmeticessence.com
JohnsonDiversey Ups Emission Reduction Goals
JohnsonDiversey will triple its reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Climate Savers program. The company’s original pledge of an 8% reduction—made in 2008 when it joined the program—has been increased to 25% and will be achieved within its original timeframe, ending in 2013.
The reduction will come via operating efficiencies and targeted actions across every aspect of the business—manufacturing, distribution and general commercial operations—not through the purchase of green energy, utilization of another source’s offsets or the sole reliance on installation of the latest technologies, according to the company.
To achieve its goal, JohnsonDiversey said it will invest an estimated $14 million—and will capture cost savings of approximately $32 million.
“Our commitment to further reduce our GHG emissions and go beyond the initial pledge we made when becoming a Climate Savers member demonstrates our company’s passion for providing a cleaner, healthier future for the world, said S. Curtis Johnson, JohnsonDiversey’s chairman.
The WWF Climate Savers program was established in 1999 as a unique voluntary partnership. It has been a trend-setter in demonstrating that absolute greenhouse gas emission reductions do not impede business prosperity. Climate Savers companies are showing that reducing corporate carbon emissions makes business sense and should be a core element of business strategy.
OCA Announces Boycott of Select ‘Organic’ Brands
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) has announced a boycott of brands that have “cheated consumers for years and recommend honest organic brands in order to promote certified organic personal care.”
The major brands on the OCA boycott list are Desert Essence Organics Body Care, Organics by Noah’s Naturals, Giovanni Organic Cosmetics, Nature’s Gate Organics, Amazon Organics, Jason Pure Natural and Organic and Avalon Organic.
Instead, OCA is asking consumers to support the following firms with USDA Organic Seals: Alteya, Amrita, Baby Bear Shop, Badger Balm, Buddha Nose, Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, Earth Mama and Angel Baby, Kimberly Organics, Little Angel, Mercola, Motherlove, Onegroup, Organicare, Origins Organics, Purely Shea, Rainwater Organic Lotion, Rose Tattoo Aftercare, SoCal Cleanse, Seasons of the Soul, Sensibility Soaps’ Nourish line, Terressentials, Trillium and Vermont Soap.
The announcement came with news that the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has voted 12 to one for the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) to enforce the law for organic personal care as is done with organic food.
According to OCA, the vote would mean shampoos and other body care products that claim to be organic, but are not certified, would be forced to drop the organic claims made on their products or improve formations to meet organic standards.
“Brands that are using the word organic improperly should be on notice that USDA enforcement is imminent,’” said Ronnie Cummins, executive director of OCA. “Deputy secretary Kathleen Merrigan has said that she is going to get ‘tough on crime’ in the organic industry.”
According to Cummins, at the NOSB meeting this week, National Organic Program director Miles McEvoy announced a “new age of enforcement” in organic. “I expect them to make organic cosmetics fraud a top priority. In the meantime, retailers should start cleaning up their body care aisles,” Cummins added.
Calumet Expands Offerings via Alliance with LyondellBasell
Calumet Specialty Products and Houston Refining LP, a wholly-owned subsidiary of LyondellBasell, have entered into multiyear agreements to form a long-term exclusive specialty products affiliation. Through the accord, Calumet will be the exclusive marketer of Lyondell-Basell’s naphthenic base oil production out of its refinery in Houston, TX. Calumet will add approximately 3,000 barrels a day of naphthenic lubricating oil sales to its current naphthenic lubricating oil production at its Princeton, LA refinery, which has crude oil capacity of approximately 10,000 bpd, according to the company.
The parties have also reached an agreement for LyondellBasell to process approximately 800 barrel a day of white mineral oil at its Houston refinery for Calumet. This volume will supplement Calumet’s existing white mineral oil production at its Karns City, PA and Dickinson, TX facilities.
These agreements also give Calumet the exclusive use of LyondellBasell’s registered trademarks and tradenames including: Tufflo, Duoprime, Duotreat, Crystex, Ideal and Aquamarine.
Unilever To Shutter Chicago Office and Move PC Unit to NJ
Unilever is combining its Chicago-based antiperspirants, deodorant and hair care group with its skin care business to create a Personal Care (PC) business unit based at the company’s North America headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. As a result of the integration, Unilever will close its Chicago offices by July 2010.
“Over the last few years, we have made significant progress in bringing Unilever teams together in North America,” said Michael B. Polk, president, Unilever Americas. ‘We have become a more unified, collaborative and focused organization—and, we are driving results. The decision to create a single PC unit within the U.S. business is in line with this progress, and will leverage the resources and capabilities across our PC brands to drive further growth.”
The move will affect approximately 200 employees.
Between 2006 and 2009, Unilever has integrated a number of businesses and offices to leverage resources and capabilities, including consolidating U.S. offices in Connecticut and Illinois.
Johnson & Johnson To Cut More Than 8000 Jobs
Johnson & Johnson plans to cut up to 7% of its roughly 117,000-person workforce, or about 8,200 jobs, in an effort to save between $1.4 billion and $1.7 billion a year in costs.
The New Brunswick, NJ-based conglomerate plans to use the savings to invest in new growth markets, product launches and “provide flexibility to adjust to the changed and evolving global environment.”
J&J operates more than 250 units worldwide. The company markets a vast array of prescription medications, medical devices, surgical products and popular consumer products such as Listerine and Neutrogena.
Chemerisia Offers Alternative Sources of Key Ingredients
Chemerisia, a new distributor in the cosmetic ingredient market based in Akron, OH, offers a range of ingredients including carbomer, PVPs, PVP/VAs, polyquaterniums, preservatives and cosmetic actives.
Chemerisia contends its range of ingredients, sourced around the world, are offered at attractive prices and are competitive to products offered by more established manufacturers and suppliers.
With experience and connections in Latin America, China and India, Chemerisia also offers consulting and start-up services to companies interested in entering these markets.
Chemerisia said it plans to expand its range in the near future.
More info: www.chemerisia.com
Biotone Donates $15K To Massage Therapy Foundation
Biotone, a San Diego, CA manufacturer of massage oils and spa treatment products, has donated $15,000 to support three Massage Therapy Foundation funded community service projects. Projects will focus on massage therapy for HIV/AIDS patients, relieving stress and easing chronic pain and infant massage to strengthen the bond between new mothers and their babies, according to the company.
The Massage Therapy Foundation’s mission is to advance the knowledge and practice of massage by supporting scientific research, education and community service.
More info: www.biotone.com
WFFC Offers Broad Outreach Program
In these difficult financial times, Women in Flavor & Fragrance Commerce (WFFC), has reached out to assist individuals inside and outside its industry. WFFC, which provides a networking, education and support system for women in the flavor and fragrance community, has made special donations to the following seven charities during the past year.
‘The WFFC stands firm in its commitment to support women outside of our industry, and when we can, we give back to the community by contributing to charities which provide various types of assistance, both in the U.S. and around the globe,” said Nancy Poulos, president, WFFC.
Project Protect: This non-profit organization, sponsored by the YWCA in Edison NJ, offers immediate crisis intervention for women and children experiencing domestic violence, including a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, food, clothing, court advocacy and case management as well as longer term care. More info: www.ywca-euc.org
Bottomless Closet NYC: The mission of Bottomless Closet is to promote economic self–sufficiency by providing interview skills, business clothing, ongoing career development, and support programs to economically disadvantaged New York City women. More info: www.bottomlesscloset.org
Kiva: Kiva’s mission is to connect people through lending money to unique entrepreneurs around the globe to alleviate poverty and empower individuals. WFFC chose a woman in Nicaragua who has owned a small catering business for the last eight years, but wanted to expand so she can provide her daughter with an education. More info: www.kiva.org
Mini Marathon and Heart Walk Cincinnati: WFFC sponsored Procter & Gamble perfumer Zerlina Dubois, WFFC member Marion Brooks and their team Gabriel’s Guys in the 2009 mini marathon to raise money for the American Heart Association. Zerlina’s son Gabriel was born with a heart defect, but today is a happy and healthy 13 year old.
The Jack Wallace Fund: Jack Wallace, son of John Wallace of Fragrance Resources, lost his right leg in a boating accident while on vacation with his family. WFFC made a contribution to this fund, which was established to help Jack pay for the care and prosthetic devices he will need throughout his life. More info: www.thejackwallacefund.com
The WFFC Annual Open Dinner: Every year the WFFC makes a donation to a charity of the Honoree’s choice. The 2008 honoree, Ruth Sutcliffe of Coty, Inc. chose two organizations: Riverkeeper, to protect the ecological integrity of the Hudson River www.riverkeeper.org and the New York Restoration Project to keep New York neighborhoods clean and green. More info: www.nyrp.org.
More info: www.wffc.org