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New soap opera from Mysore Sandal
FOCUS decision in late 2010 to ban preservatives propyl- and butylparaben in cosmetic products intended for children less than three years old. Hydrolite 6 is said to increase the preservative efficacy of mild organic acids such as potassium sorbate and dehydroacetate, thereby eliminating the need for parabens. SPC, Soap, Perfumery and Cosmetics, Apr 2011, 84 (4), 150 (Website: http://www.cosmeticsbusiness.com/)
APPLICATIONS Home & personal care New soap opera from Mysore Sandal The state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd, known for its soap based on pure sandalwood oil, proposes to launch a super-premium toilet soap under the brand name Mysore Sandal Millennium in Jun 2011. The soap is likely to be priced in the range of Rup 500-630, which is 10-12 times costlier than the most expensive soap available in India now. The premium brand soap market accounts for 15% of the total Rup 100 bn soap market in India. Business Standard, 8 May 2011, 2 (51), I.1 (Website: http://www.business-standard.com)
Oral care alliance ISP and Japan’s Takasago are teaming up on oral-care product development. ISP’s complex coacervation encapsulation technology will be used alongside Takasago’s flavours technology to develop new flavours and sensory approaches for teeth whiteners, mouthwashes and toothpastes. Speciality Chemicals, Apr 2011, 31 (4), (Website: http://www.specchemonline.com/)
China fines Unilever after customers clean it out Just talking about the problem of inflation has got Unilever into hot water in China, where the authorities fined it Yuan 2 M (£177,000; €210,000) for saying in March that it planned to raise the cost of its personal care products. After Unilever JULY 2011
ON
S U R FA C TA N T S
warned that it might have to increase the cost of soaps and detergents in China, it saw a run on its products, with sales at 100 times their usual volumes. That provoked an angry reaction from the government, which is desperate to keep a lid on inflation. China’s National Development and Reform Commission accused Unilever of having “disrupted market prices”. The company has accepted the fine, saying that its long-term involvement in China means it must be sensitive to local needs. It has already withdrawn the price increases. The Independent, 7 May 2011, (Website: http://www.independent.co.uk/)
Other The surfactants market for coatings Executives from Cognis North America, Cytec Industries and Troy Corp – all major suppliers of surfactants to the coatings industry – agree that the green chemistry trend is a major issue currently facing the surfactants industry. They note that consumers are now looking for ecofriendly solutions that still deliver excellent performance. For the paints and coatings industry this in particular means the replacement of alkylphenyl ethoxylates (APEs), the reduction or elimination of volatile organic content (VOC) and the ongoing move from solvent-borne to water-borne systems, on top of the general trends towards improved biodegradability and increased use of renewable and/or natural-based raw materials. In response, Cognis is investing in green and environmentally sound surfactant solutions based on renewable resources. The firm is also developing APE alternatives. Cognis recently unveiled Disponil NG types and Disponil AFX 4070, both alkylphenolfree nonionic surfactants for use in emulsion polymerization. Cytec has introduced Aerosol EF-810, which is an APE-free primary emulsifier that provides outstanding emulsion and pre-emulsion stability to emulsion polymers. Meanwhile, Troy has unveiled Troysol ZLAC, a substrate wetting and flow additive for use in aqueous systems. The VOC-free product is part of the firm’s Z-line of green performance additives. Other,
more-general issues pertinent to the surfactants industry as a whole highlighted by the executives include the current challenge posed by increasing and fluctuating raw material costs, and the growth potential of the Asian market. Coatings World, Mar 2011, 16 (3), 58-60 (Website: http://www.coatingsworld.com/)
Air Products expands defoamer range Air Products launched a new range of defoamers and deaerators at this year’s European Coatings Show in Nuremberg, Germany (29-31 Mar 2011). These hi-tech additives are used in coatings, inks, adhesives and in other industrial applications to ensure more effective coverage and a smoother, more aesthetic finish. This complete range of foam control agents based on organic, silicone and molecular chemistry is helping manufacturers to produce highperformance coatings that are more durable, more efficient and kinder to the environment. They are particularly useful for water-based formulations and can also be used in epoxy flooring systems. Press release from: Air Products, 7201 Hamilton Boulevard, Allentown, PA 18195 1501, USA, tel: +1 610 481 4911, fax: +1 610 481 5900, e-mail: [email protected], website: http://www.airproducts.com (31 Mar 2011)
MARKET REVIEWS Feedstock hikes threaten surfactants The cost of the raw materials that go into producing surfactants, particularly oleochemicals, has been rising since 2009, thus the costs of cleaning products that depend on surfactants are likely to keep increasing in the future. The hikes in the prices of oleochemicals, especially palm oil derivatives, have been huge compared with increases for crude oil. For example, palm kernel oil prices were around $500/tonne in Oct 2008 but reached about $2300/tonne in Feb 2011. The price hikes are being driven by strong growth in demand for surfactants in developing economies, particularly India and China. Another major 5
APPLICATIONS Home & personal care New soap opera from Mysore Sandal The state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd, known for its soap based on pure sandalwood oil, proposes to launch a super-premium toilet soap under the brand name Mysore Sandal Millennium in Jun 2011. The soap is likely to be priced in the range of Rup 500-630, which is 10-12 times costlier than the most expensive soap available in India now. The premium brand soap market accounts for 15% of the total Rup 100 bn soap market in India. Business Standard, 8 May 2011, 2 (51), I.1 (Website: http://www.business-standard.com)
Oral care alliance ISP and Japan’s Takasago are teaming up on oral-care product development. ISP’s complex coacervation encapsulation technology will be used alongside Takasago’s flavours technology to develop new flavours and sensory approaches for teeth whiteners, mouthwashes and toothpastes. Speciality Chemicals, Apr 2011, 31 (4), (Website: http://www.specchemonline.com/)
China fines Unilever after customers clean it out Just talking about the problem of inflation has got Unilever into hot water in China, where the authorities fined it Yuan 2 M (£177,000; €210,000) for saying in March that it planned to raise the cost of its personal care products. After Unilever JULY 2011
ON
S U R FA C TA N T S
warned that it might have to increase the cost of soaps and detergents in China, it saw a run on its products, with sales at 100 times their usual volumes. That provoked an angry reaction from the government, which is desperate to keep a lid on inflation. China’s National Development and Reform Commission accused Unilever of having “disrupted market prices”. The company has accepted the fine, saying that its long-term involvement in China means it must be sensitive to local needs. It has already withdrawn the price increases. The Independent, 7 May 2011, (Website: http://www.independent.co.uk/)
Other The surfactants market for coatings Executives from Cognis North America, Cytec Industries and Troy Corp – all major suppliers of surfactants to the coatings industry – agree that the green chemistry trend is a major issue currently facing the surfactants industry. They note that consumers are now looking for ecofriendly solutions that still deliver excellent performance. For the paints and coatings industry this in particular means the replacement of alkylphenyl ethoxylates (APEs), the reduction or elimination of volatile organic content (VOC) and the ongoing move from solvent-borne to water-borne systems, on top of the general trends towards improved biodegradability and increased use of renewable and/or natural-based raw materials. In response, Cognis is investing in green and environmentally sound surfactant solutions based on renewable resources. The firm is also developing APE alternatives. Cognis recently unveiled Disponil NG types and Disponil AFX 4070, both alkylphenolfree nonionic surfactants for use in emulsion polymerization. Cytec has introduced Aerosol EF-810, which is an APE-free primary emulsifier that provides outstanding emulsion and pre-emulsion stability to emulsion polymers. Meanwhile, Troy has unveiled Troysol ZLAC, a substrate wetting and flow additive for use in aqueous systems. The VOC-free product is part of the firm’s Z-line of green performance additives. Other,
more-general issues pertinent to the surfactants industry as a whole highlighted by the executives include the current challenge posed by increasing and fluctuating raw material costs, and the growth potential of the Asian market. Coatings World, Mar 2011, 16 (3), 58-60 (Website: http://www.coatingsworld.com/)
Air Products expands defoamer range Air Products launched a new range of defoamers and deaerators at this year’s European Coatings Show in Nuremberg, Germany (29-31 Mar 2011). These hi-tech additives are used in coatings, inks, adhesives and in other industrial applications to ensure more effective coverage and a smoother, more aesthetic finish. This complete range of foam control agents based on organic, silicone and molecular chemistry is helping manufacturers to produce highperformance coatings that are more durable, more efficient and kinder to the environment. They are particularly useful for water-based formulations and can also be used in epoxy flooring systems. Press release from: Air Products, 7201 Hamilton Boulevard, Allentown, PA 18195 1501, USA, tel: +1 610 481 4911, fax: +1 610 481 5900, e-mail: [email protected], website: http://www.airproducts.com (31 Mar 2011)
MARKET REVIEWS Feedstock hikes threaten surfactants The cost of the raw materials that go into producing surfactants, particularly oleochemicals, has been rising since 2009, thus the costs of cleaning products that depend on surfactants are likely to keep increasing in the future. The hikes in the prices of oleochemicals, especially palm oil derivatives, have been huge compared with increases for crude oil. For example, palm kernel oil prices were around $500/tonne in Oct 2008 but reached about $2300/tonne in Feb 2011. The price hikes are being driven by strong growth in demand for surfactants in developing economies, particularly India and China. Another major 5