International News

Cognis Opens APG Facility in China

CHINA: Cognis has opened its new production facility for alkyl polyglucoside (APG) surfactants at its site in Jinshan, China.Along with its other two production sites for APG surfactants—Düsseldorf, Germany and Cincinnati, OH—the Jinshan facility will enable Cognis to serve the increasing demand for green solutions in the Asia-Pacific region.

“The new facility in China complements our existing plants in Germany and the U.S., and improves global availability of our high-quality APG surfactants—and is a real investment in the company’s future,” said Richard Ridinger, executive vice president Care Chemicals.

Asia-Pacific is Cognis’ third biggest market after Europe and North America. The region is generally seen as having significant growth potential, and this fits perfectly with Cognis’ focus on high-growth, high-demand markets driven by the wellness and sustainability trends, according to Guadalupe Pellón, global marketing hair-body-oral, Cognis GmbH.

Since the early 1990s, Asian economies have been among the world’s most dynamic. Countries like China and India have some of the highest economic growth rates anywhere in the world. In 2008, this development led to a growing proportion of the Asian population to start spending a considerable percentage of their incomes on goods that go beyond the basic needs—including cosmetics, toiletries and products for home care. At the same time, the increase in population— almost 60% of people on earth already live in the Asia-Pacific region—means that the pressure to improve crop productivity will continue to intensify. To meet this demand, the agrochemical industry will need to innovate, according to Cognis.

Against the backdrop of the wellness and sustainability megatrend, demand for specialized products based on natural, renewable raw materials is increasing all the time. The market is looking for products that are free from mineral oils, silicone derivates and other synthetic materials, that offer improved safety, that give less cause for concern about impurities and that comply with increasingly tough regulations

The opening of the production facility in Jinshan is a response to these trends, noted Patricia Rodriguez Perez, global marketing home care/I&I.

Cognis also used the opportunity to officially sign the Responsible Care Charter there with the aim to further improve safety, health and environmental performance. The Cognis Responsible Care team in Greater China will soon start coordinating self-assessment processes within the affiliate and integrating the principles of Responsible Care into its standards and procedures, the company said.

APG surfactants are made from renewable plant-derived materials such as vegetable oils and starch.

Good Hair Days for Godrej

ARGENTINA: India’s Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) has signed a deal to acquire Argencos, a mid-sized Argentine hair care company selling hair care products under the Roby and 919 banners.

The deal came days after GCPL acquired Issue Group—comprising Laboratoria Cuenca, Consell SA, Issue Uruguay and Issue Brazil—another hair care firm with sales of more than $33 million in 2009.

According to A. Mahendran, director, FMCG Portfolio Cell, Godrej continues to stay true to its “battle-tested approach of acquiring pioneering local brands with strong leadership positions in attractive geographies that have demonstrated an excellent track record of results and are run by seasoned management teams. These companies have a rich heritage of over a quarter of a century in serving the needs of the Latin American consumer through innovative and complementary offerings. We also believe that the opportunities for capitalizing on the strengths of these businesses across our entire hair colors business are significant.”

BASF To Build L-Menthol Production Plant

GERMANY: BASF is building a new production plant for L-menthol at the company’s Ludwigshafen site. The new plant is expected to come on stream in 2012.

“As the world’s top-selling aroma chemical in tons, L-menthol is an ideal addition to our product range in a strong growth market. The move consolidates our position as a leading aroma chemicals supplier,” commented Gabriel Tanbourgi, head of the Care Chemicals division. “BASF developed and patented the L-menthol production method itself. It enables us to supply an extremely pure product of superior quality.”

In-Cosmetics Asia Returns To Bangkok Nov. 2-4

THAILAND: In-Cosmetics Asia is returning to Bangkok this year. More than 200 exhibitors are expectedat BITEC, Hall 101-102, Bangkok, Thailand, on Nov. 2-4.

Major industry players will have a presence, including Cognis, Croda, DSM and ISP Asia Pacific. In addition there will be a number of new companies, including Breko, Cobiosa, DKSH (Thailand), Green Flower Cosmetics Company and Naturex.

The Innovation Zone will allow visitors to view the latest ingredient launches.There will be a one-day workshop on the EU Cosmetic Directive and new training sessions. In addition, the educational program will feature marketing trends presentations. This year’s agenda will feature three tracks: trends, country focus and practical advice, including“Natural Trends and Sustainability,” and “Brands, Islam and the new Muslim Consumer.”
More info: www.in-cosmeticsasia.com