- Email: [email protected]
Enaspol takes over Hansa subsidiary
FOCUS PTT Global Chemical declares mutual study with TTC and SCI on PO and polyether polyols Thai petrochemical producer PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC) has signed two heads of agreement (HoA) to jointly perform feasibility studies for the potential development of 200,000 tonnes/y of propylene oxide (PO) with Toyota Tsusho Corp (TTC) and 130,000 tonnes/y of polyether polyols with TTC and Sanyo Chemical Industries Ltd (SCI) [see also 'Focus on Surfactants', Jul 2015]. The manufacturing complex would be located in Hemaraj Eastern Industrial Estate (HEIE) in Rayong, Thailand, and total planned investment is approximately $1 bn. After the successful completion of a preliminary joint feasibility study began in early2015, when PTTGC, TTC and SCI signed a memorandum of understanding to launch the effort, the project has moved to an engineering study concerning the front end engineering design and verification of the viability of the project before the final investment decision (FID) to move to the engineering, procurement and construction stage is taken, which is targeted in 2016. If construction proceeds as planned, commercial production would start in 2019. PTTGC will feed ethylene oxide and propylene, while Sanyo Chemical will handle the production technology and R&D applications for polyols. Toyota Tsusho will be responsible for marketing and selling. Original Source: PTT Global Chemical, 2015. Found on SpecialChem Plastics and Elastomers Formulation, 19 Aug 2015, (Website: http://www.specialchem4polymers. com). Original Source: Bangkok Post, 18 Aug 2015, (Website: http://www.bangkokpost.com) © The Post Publishing PCL 2015
SURFACTANTS BASF and Solazyme launch first commercial microalgae-derived betaine surfactant BASF and partner Solazyme Inc have announced the launch of the first commercial surfactant derived from renewable microalgae oil, a highperformance algal betaine for use in home and personal care applications. Commercialized by BASF under the trade name Dehyton AO 45, the new algal amphoteric surfactant is said to be October 2015
ON
S U R FAC TA N T S
a high-performance alternative to amidopropyl betaine in products that require rich and gentle foam such as shampoos, liquid soaps, hand dishwashing liquids and other applications. According to the partners, amidopropyl betaines are increasingly used in cosmetic, toiletry and home care applications due to their range of benefits, which include good detergency, good foam properties and foam stabilization, hard water compatibility, mildness to skin and hair, ability to reduce irritation of anionic systems, viscosity building, conditioning effect, stability at a broad range of pH, and excellent biodegradability. Dehyton AO 45 is produced with Solazyme AlgaPur Microalgae Oils. AlgaPur Oils are produced with Solazyme's state-ofthe-art technology, using a highly controlled fermentation process to convert sugarcane into oils of high purity and performance. AlgaPur Microalgae Oils are produced with low carbon, water and land use impact. Original Source: BASF, 28 Jul 2015 (Website: http://www.basf.com/), © BASF 2015
Unitop Chemicals invests Rup 950 M on new facility in Dahej Unitop Chemicals Pvt Ltd, an Indian producer of speciality surfactants, has spent around Rup 950 M (c €12.9 M) to build a new plant in Dahej, Gujarat. With the new plant, the company's output will be raised from 20,000 tonnes/y to 60,000 tonnes/y, which includes 15,000 tonnes/y of ether sulfates and phosphates, 35,000 tonnes/y of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide condensates, and around 10,000 tonnes/y of other speciality chemicals. The plant consists of propoxylation, ethoxylation, EO-PO polymers, anionic manufacturing and blending facilities. Following a period of trial production, full operation at the Dahej facility was due to begin in Apr 2015. Meanwhile, Unitop Chemicals and Malaysia's Hexter Chemicals Sdn Bhd have collaborated to form speciality chemicals producer Hextar Unitop Sdn Bhd for the oil & gas, agriculture, personal care and textile industries. In addition, Unitop Chemicals has R&D partnerships with several multinational and domestic firms, including Cheminova India, Arysta Life Sciences and Godrej Agrovet. Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 7 Apr 2015, LX (35), 142 (Website: http://www. chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2015
Home & personal care industries to set the pace of growth for surfactants in India At the ChemSpec India event in Apr 2015 it was reported that India's speciality chemicals industry is set to grow 10-15%/ y in the next five years as it currently holds a 22% share in the domestic chemicals sector, which accounts for nearly 3% of the global market. Global primary surfactants output, which is expected to hit 13 M tonnes by 2025, is led by petrochemical (58%) and oleobased (42%) varieties. More than 20 key firms operate within the $2.3 bn Indian surfactants industry, as reported by Frost and Sullivan. The domestic FMCG market's 4.8% growth was outpaced by the home & personal care market's 9.1% rise in 2015. The rural FMCG sector is set to expand 10-fold to $100 bn by 2025, as per Nielsen estimates. The laundry care segment grew by 12% to Rup 154 bn ($2.33 bn; €2.08 bn) in 2013, while the dishwashing segment reached Rup 23.5 bn in 2014. Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 12 May 2015, LX (40), 211-213 (Website: http://www. chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2015
Indian Surfactant Group urges better utilization of domestic oils for oleochemicals The Indian Surfactant Group has advised on the greater use of oils and fats available domestically for oleochemicals production. The newly founded group noted that India is the third largest producer of coconut oil globally, with a production level of more than 400,000 tonnes/y. The country is also among the top 10 producers of sunflower oil (200,000 tonnes), and a large producer of rice bran oil (900,000 tonnes, accounting for more than 75% globally), soybean oil and cottonseed oil (1.35 M tonnes). In 2013-2014, the country imported a total of 118.4 M tonnes of vegetable oil, including 2.2 M tonnes of industrial oils for oleochemicals production. Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 16 Jun 2015, 144 (Website: http://www. chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2015
Enaspol takes over Hansa subsidiary Czech company Enaspol has taken over the Düren site of Hansa Group, together with its employees, for several
3
FOCUS million euros. The two plants produce detergents, cleaning products, care products and body cleansers, as well as chemical raw materials such as surfactants. Enaspol exports 90% of its output. It had sales of CZK 650 M (€24 M) in 2014. Sales of €25-30 M/y are expected in Düren. Original Source: Chemie Aktuell, 3 Aug 2015, 1 (Website: http://www.maerkte-weltweit.de) (in German) © MBM Martin Brueckner Medien GmbH 2015
ASSOCIATED PRODUCTS Builders BASF increases production capacity for chelating agents BASF is investing an undisclosed sum in the expansion of its facilities to manufacture chelating agents at its site in Ludwigshafen, Germany. By increasing production capacity, the company is responding to rapidly growing global demand for its chelating agents, such as readily biodegradable Trilon M (methylglycinediacetic acid) for use in detergents and cleaners. The project is scheduled for completion by end-2016. Trilon M is a special high-performance alternative to phosphate in automatic dishwashing (ADW) detergents and is easily biodegradable. Use of phosphate for ADW applications will be prohibited in Europe starting 2017. In addition to capacity expansions, production processes will be made more flexible and the company will invest in infrastructure. Another world-scale plant for Trilon M is under construction in Theodore, AL, USA. This new plant is scheduled to be commissioned in 4Q 2015. With the increased production in Ludwigshafen and the construction in Theodore, BASF will enhance its global capacity for chelating agents to 170,000 tonnes/y. Original Source: BASF, 11 Aug 2015 (Website: http://www.basf.com/) © BASF 2015
Other Solvay to align its sodium percarbonate production to market demand Solvay has announced its intention to end the production of sodium percarbonate
4
ON
S U R FAC TA N T S
(SPC) in Rosignano, Italy, by end 1Q 2016 at the latest. The main reason is the further decrease in the use of powder detergents in Western Europe, the largest market for SPC as a bleaching agent. The anticipated social impact should be very limited as employees will be allocated to existing or new activities at the Rosignano site. Customers will be served from Solvay's biggest SPC plant in Bad Hönningen, Germany, in which Solvay invested to produce the improved performance grades requested by the market. Original Source: Solvay SA, 29 Jul 2015 (Website: http://www.solvay.com) © Solvay 2015
Phenoxyethanol preservatives market anticipated to reach $143.2 M by 2020 Transparency Market Research (TMR) has published a new report titled 'Phenoxyethanol Preservatives Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 – 2020'. According to the report, the global phenoxyethanol preservatives market was valued at $95.8 M in 2013 and is anticipated to reach $143.2 M by 2020, expanding at a CAGR of 5.9% between 2014 and 2020 due to strong growth in cosmetic products coupled with a shift towards phenoxyethanolbased blends. However, the consumer shift towards natural and organic cosmetic products is projected to hamper the phenoxyethanol preservatives market during the forecast period. Additionally, the availability of cost-effective substitutes in the market is likely to dampen market growth. The wet wipes and tissue market is expected to provide significant opportunities for phenoxyethanol in the home and personal care (HPC) industries. Phenoxyethanol P5 is the largest product segment in the phenoxyethanol preservatives market. This product segment is anticipated to expand at a significant rate due to lower free phenol content. In terms of volume, pharmaceuticals is estimated to be the fastest growing application segment in the phenoxyethanol preservatives market in the near future. This segment accounted for a >15% share in 2013. HPC is the largest application segment in the phenoxyethanol preservatives market. It is projected to exhibit an above-average growth rate during the forecast period. The global phenoxyethanol preservatives market is
moderately fragmented; the top four players accounted for nearly 50% of the market in 2013. However, the remaining 50% is largely distributed among various small-scale players. Key players in the phenoxyethanol preservatives market include BASF, Dow Chemical, Galaxy Surfactants, Jiangsu Jiafeng Chemical, Symrise, Jinan Haohua Industry, Clariant Corp and Haihang Industry. Original Source: TMR, 2015. Found on SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovation and Solutions, 30 Jul 2015, (Website: http://www.specialchem4cosmetics.com)
EC issues new rules to regulate use of parabens in cosmetics From earlier in 2015, European Commission (EC) rules require manufacturers to reduce the concentration of butylparaben and propylparaben in cosmetics products and to avoid using these preservatives in products designed for application on the nappy area of children under the age of three. In addition, cosmetic products designed for children under three that contain these parabens and are placed on the market after 7 Aug 2015 should bear a mandatory warning that these products should not be used on the nappy area. This helps to protect infants, as the skin of the nappy area is more vulnerable to irritation. As a group, parabens make up an important part of the preservatives that can be used in cosmetics. In addition to propylparaben and butylparaben, other parabens such as methylparaben and ethylparaben are considered safe, as repeatedly confirmed by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS). REF Original Source: European Commission, 2015. Found on SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovation and Solutions, 7 Aug 2015, (Website: http://www. specialchem4cosmetics.com)
APPLICATIONS Home and personal care Evonik globalizes research & development for personal care Evonik Industries recently opened innovation centres in Midrand (South October 2015
SURFACTANTS BASF and Solazyme launch first commercial microalgae-derived betaine surfactant BASF and partner Solazyme Inc have announced the launch of the first commercial surfactant derived from renewable microalgae oil, a highperformance algal betaine for use in home and personal care applications. Commercialized by BASF under the trade name Dehyton AO 45, the new algal amphoteric surfactant is said to be October 2015
ON
S U R FAC TA N T S
a high-performance alternative to amidopropyl betaine in products that require rich and gentle foam such as shampoos, liquid soaps, hand dishwashing liquids and other applications. According to the partners, amidopropyl betaines are increasingly used in cosmetic, toiletry and home care applications due to their range of benefits, which include good detergency, good foam properties and foam stabilization, hard water compatibility, mildness to skin and hair, ability to reduce irritation of anionic systems, viscosity building, conditioning effect, stability at a broad range of pH, and excellent biodegradability. Dehyton AO 45 is produced with Solazyme AlgaPur Microalgae Oils. AlgaPur Oils are produced with Solazyme's state-ofthe-art technology, using a highly controlled fermentation process to convert sugarcane into oils of high purity and performance. AlgaPur Microalgae Oils are produced with low carbon, water and land use impact. Original Source: BASF, 28 Jul 2015 (Website: http://www.basf.com/), © BASF 2015
Unitop Chemicals invests Rup 950 M on new facility in Dahej Unitop Chemicals Pvt Ltd, an Indian producer of speciality surfactants, has spent around Rup 950 M (c €12.9 M) to build a new plant in Dahej, Gujarat. With the new plant, the company's output will be raised from 20,000 tonnes/y to 60,000 tonnes/y, which includes 15,000 tonnes/y of ether sulfates and phosphates, 35,000 tonnes/y of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide condensates, and around 10,000 tonnes/y of other speciality chemicals. The plant consists of propoxylation, ethoxylation, EO-PO polymers, anionic manufacturing and blending facilities. Following a period of trial production, full operation at the Dahej facility was due to begin in Apr 2015. Meanwhile, Unitop Chemicals and Malaysia's Hexter Chemicals Sdn Bhd have collaborated to form speciality chemicals producer Hextar Unitop Sdn Bhd for the oil & gas, agriculture, personal care and textile industries. In addition, Unitop Chemicals has R&D partnerships with several multinational and domestic firms, including Cheminova India, Arysta Life Sciences and Godrej Agrovet. Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 7 Apr 2015, LX (35), 142 (Website: http://www. chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2015
Home & personal care industries to set the pace of growth for surfactants in India At the ChemSpec India event in Apr 2015 it was reported that India's speciality chemicals industry is set to grow 10-15%/ y in the next five years as it currently holds a 22% share in the domestic chemicals sector, which accounts for nearly 3% of the global market. Global primary surfactants output, which is expected to hit 13 M tonnes by 2025, is led by petrochemical (58%) and oleobased (42%) varieties. More than 20 key firms operate within the $2.3 bn Indian surfactants industry, as reported by Frost and Sullivan. The domestic FMCG market's 4.8% growth was outpaced by the home & personal care market's 9.1% rise in 2015. The rural FMCG sector is set to expand 10-fold to $100 bn by 2025, as per Nielsen estimates. The laundry care segment grew by 12% to Rup 154 bn ($2.33 bn; €2.08 bn) in 2013, while the dishwashing segment reached Rup 23.5 bn in 2014. Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 12 May 2015, LX (40), 211-213 (Website: http://www. chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2015
Indian Surfactant Group urges better utilization of domestic oils for oleochemicals The Indian Surfactant Group has advised on the greater use of oils and fats available domestically for oleochemicals production. The newly founded group noted that India is the third largest producer of coconut oil globally, with a production level of more than 400,000 tonnes/y. The country is also among the top 10 producers of sunflower oil (200,000 tonnes), and a large producer of rice bran oil (900,000 tonnes, accounting for more than 75% globally), soybean oil and cottonseed oil (1.35 M tonnes). In 2013-2014, the country imported a total of 118.4 M tonnes of vegetable oil, including 2.2 M tonnes of industrial oils for oleochemicals production. Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 16 Jun 2015, 144 (Website: http://www. chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2015
Enaspol takes over Hansa subsidiary Czech company Enaspol has taken over the Düren site of Hansa Group, together with its employees, for several
3
FOCUS million euros. The two plants produce detergents, cleaning products, care products and body cleansers, as well as chemical raw materials such as surfactants. Enaspol exports 90% of its output. It had sales of CZK 650 M (€24 M) in 2014. Sales of €25-30 M/y are expected in Düren. Original Source: Chemie Aktuell, 3 Aug 2015, 1 (Website: http://www.maerkte-weltweit.de) (in German) © MBM Martin Brueckner Medien GmbH 2015
ASSOCIATED PRODUCTS Builders BASF increases production capacity for chelating agents BASF is investing an undisclosed sum in the expansion of its facilities to manufacture chelating agents at its site in Ludwigshafen, Germany. By increasing production capacity, the company is responding to rapidly growing global demand for its chelating agents, such as readily biodegradable Trilon M (methylglycinediacetic acid) for use in detergents and cleaners. The project is scheduled for completion by end-2016. Trilon M is a special high-performance alternative to phosphate in automatic dishwashing (ADW) detergents and is easily biodegradable. Use of phosphate for ADW applications will be prohibited in Europe starting 2017. In addition to capacity expansions, production processes will be made more flexible and the company will invest in infrastructure. Another world-scale plant for Trilon M is under construction in Theodore, AL, USA. This new plant is scheduled to be commissioned in 4Q 2015. With the increased production in Ludwigshafen and the construction in Theodore, BASF will enhance its global capacity for chelating agents to 170,000 tonnes/y. Original Source: BASF, 11 Aug 2015 (Website: http://www.basf.com/) © BASF 2015
Other Solvay to align its sodium percarbonate production to market demand Solvay has announced its intention to end the production of sodium percarbonate
4
ON
S U R FAC TA N T S
(SPC) in Rosignano, Italy, by end 1Q 2016 at the latest. The main reason is the further decrease in the use of powder detergents in Western Europe, the largest market for SPC as a bleaching agent. The anticipated social impact should be very limited as employees will be allocated to existing or new activities at the Rosignano site. Customers will be served from Solvay's biggest SPC plant in Bad Hönningen, Germany, in which Solvay invested to produce the improved performance grades requested by the market. Original Source: Solvay SA, 29 Jul 2015 (Website: http://www.solvay.com) © Solvay 2015
Phenoxyethanol preservatives market anticipated to reach $143.2 M by 2020 Transparency Market Research (TMR) has published a new report titled 'Phenoxyethanol Preservatives Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 – 2020'. According to the report, the global phenoxyethanol preservatives market was valued at $95.8 M in 2013 and is anticipated to reach $143.2 M by 2020, expanding at a CAGR of 5.9% between 2014 and 2020 due to strong growth in cosmetic products coupled with a shift towards phenoxyethanolbased blends. However, the consumer shift towards natural and organic cosmetic products is projected to hamper the phenoxyethanol preservatives market during the forecast period. Additionally, the availability of cost-effective substitutes in the market is likely to dampen market growth. The wet wipes and tissue market is expected to provide significant opportunities for phenoxyethanol in the home and personal care (HPC) industries. Phenoxyethanol P5 is the largest product segment in the phenoxyethanol preservatives market. This product segment is anticipated to expand at a significant rate due to lower free phenol content. In terms of volume, pharmaceuticals is estimated to be the fastest growing application segment in the phenoxyethanol preservatives market in the near future. This segment accounted for a >15% share in 2013. HPC is the largest application segment in the phenoxyethanol preservatives market. It is projected to exhibit an above-average growth rate during the forecast period. The global phenoxyethanol preservatives market is
moderately fragmented; the top four players accounted for nearly 50% of the market in 2013. However, the remaining 50% is largely distributed among various small-scale players. Key players in the phenoxyethanol preservatives market include BASF, Dow Chemical, Galaxy Surfactants, Jiangsu Jiafeng Chemical, Symrise, Jinan Haohua Industry, Clariant Corp and Haihang Industry. Original Source: TMR, 2015. Found on SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovation and Solutions, 30 Jul 2015, (Website: http://www.specialchem4cosmetics.com)
EC issues new rules to regulate use of parabens in cosmetics From earlier in 2015, European Commission (EC) rules require manufacturers to reduce the concentration of butylparaben and propylparaben in cosmetics products and to avoid using these preservatives in products designed for application on the nappy area of children under the age of three. In addition, cosmetic products designed for children under three that contain these parabens and are placed on the market after 7 Aug 2015 should bear a mandatory warning that these products should not be used on the nappy area. This helps to protect infants, as the skin of the nappy area is more vulnerable to irritation. As a group, parabens make up an important part of the preservatives that can be used in cosmetics. In addition to propylparaben and butylparaben, other parabens such as methylparaben and ethylparaben are considered safe, as repeatedly confirmed by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS). REF Original Source: European Commission, 2015. Found on SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovation and Solutions, 7 Aug 2015, (Website: http://www. specialchem4cosmetics.com)
APPLICATIONS Home and personal care Evonik globalizes research & development for personal care Evonik Industries recently opened innovation centres in Midrand (South October 2015