BASF Signs Biosurfactant Agreements with Allied Carbon Solutions and Holiferm

“We see strong business potential in these partnerships,” said Ralph Schweens, president, care chemicals, BASF. “While BASF already has solid innovation and production capabilities for surfactants, we are always scouting for opportunities to work with partners well-rooted in technologies which add to our strength in order to expand our product portfolio with additional biobased products.”

In collaboration with ACS, BASF developed a novel sophorolipid-based ingredient, produced via fermentation technology, and launched BioToLife in Asia last year. According to BASF, BioToLife has unique properties such as curbing the overgrowth of some harmful microbials and excellent cleansing, hence restoring an environment which supports the formation of a balanced micro-ecosystem in skin, scalp or oral care application. While the first product is already available, ACS and BASF will deepen the collaboration with the focus to develop a range of formulations based on sophorolipids with targeted performance.
 

“Biotechnology has been an established field in many industries for decades. More recently, it is also being used to develop personal care ingredients, predominantly active ingredients with high efficacy. ACS looks forward to a fruitful relationship with BASF,” said Yosuke Yamagata, CEO at ACS.

The collaboration with Holiferm is focused on fermentatively accessible glycolipids for home, industrial and personal care and applications. Holiferm aims to accelerate the transition to a circular economy by developing and supplying sustainable, non-fossil based, fermentation-derived ingredients for industrial and consumer products. The joint development agreement between BASF and Holiferm is aimed at developing different glycolipids outside of sophorolipids for personal and home care as well as industrial formulators applications.

“We value the collaborative approach BASF takes to strategic development and believe this partnership allows both partners to leverage their key innovation strengths. We look forward to working together to develop these further,” said Ben Dolman, CEO at Holiferm.