News from the industry: COSSMA

News Archive 2007

Please find below some short news and company information. To see a list of the extended articles available, please check our free archive. If additional information is available for download as well, you will find a hint there. COSSMA subscribers can read the full articles and download additional information if logged in.

Click here to subscribe to COSSMA now.

February 2007

2007/02/16

Beiersdorf plans sale of logistics center in Hamburg-Harburg

The the sale of its logistics center in the Harburg district of Hamburg will bring Beiersdorf’s ongoing realignment program supply chain in Germany, which has already been the subject of several reports, to an end ahead of schedule. The conditions to be met by any new operator are the long-term preservation of the 148 jobs at the logistic center and of the logistics site in Hamburg. Beiersdorf will continue to use the logistics center to handle its flows of goods – this time as a customer. Employees at the logistics center will be given the option of remaining with the new employer in the booming logistics sector or staying with Beiersdorf and taking up its offer of a place in one of the Company’s Hamburg sites.

The decision was taken against the background of the high technological standards offered by professional distributors, which Beiersdorf could not have met on its own. Particularly important in this context is their ability to achieve optimum capacity utilization at lower costs by leveraging substantial synergy effects. The logistics sector is booming, with growth of up to 10 percent in recent years. Up to 14.000 new jobs in this segment in Hamburg are expected by 2015, according to the Speaker of the Logistics Initiative Hamburg, Dr. Peer Witten. Beiersdorf AG announced the restructuring measures on November 22, 2005. The news at the time concerned the relocation of a production line to Spain and the provision of jobs for all affected employees at other Beiersdorf production facilities in Hamburg. It was followed by far-reaching processes at a European level, which we reported on as they occurred. Generally new operators were found who offered employees in particular job prospects. No employees have been laid-off in Germany – on the contrary, 60 new ones have been created at Florena GmbH, Waldheim/Saxony, where an additional European Beiersdorf production center has been created.

Source: Beiersdorf

2007/02/14

Selective Beauty: New business organisation

Selective Beauty is creating 4 business divisions, each responsible for managing a short and balanced brand-portfolio, capitalising on each brand equity, potential and positioning. Each division will be responsible for the full management of a limited number of brands, from creativity, brand strategies and product development, to international commercial and marketing implementation.These 4 business units are the following: Luxury, Prestige, Fashion & Lifestyle, Distribution

Luxury Division
Managed by Jim Ragsdale, this division is dedicated to brands at the top-end segment retail-price wise, and with a limited, but extremely qualitative distribution network worldwide. These brands benefit from an extremely high level of service and visibility at point-of-sale, as well as strong PR-endorsement.
For example, Agent Provocateur and Sonia Rykiel are looked after in the Luxury Division, as well as Chopard, for which Selective Beauty has a worldwide distribution contract.

Prestige Division
Managed by David Melki, this division handles brands with international appeal, with a strong distribution network within the worldwide selective environment. These brands are in the core selective market retail-price wise and benefit from high media investments in their key markets, combined with strong trade support. For example, MaxMara and Trussardi in fragrances, and Marbert in cosmetics, are Prestige Division brands.

Fashion & Lifestyle Division
Managed by Marc-Antoine Breuil, this division capitalises on brands strong awareness and global appeal. These brands are inspirational for their target consumers in different product categories, so they become Lifestyle brands. They can sustain a wider distribution network, but still fully controlled, as they have the power to recruit and generate loyalty among a large consumer base.
For example the distribution agreement for Guess falls in this category. On top this division also manages brands, like Benetton, for which accessible price is a key value proposition.

Distribution Division
This business unit is managed by Benoît Pfister. Recognising the high level of priority placed in distribution partnerships, this division, thanks to totally dedicated and focused teams, handles the commercial and operational marketing strategies of Luxury and Prestige local or regional distributed brands, maximising their presence in the markets in which Selective Beauty is their representatives.

These distribution partnerships include, for example, Interparfums brands, like Lanvin and Burberry, Lolita Lempicka, Bulgari and Ungaro-Ferragamo. Distribution partnerships of Fashion & Lifestyle brands are managed by the Fashion & Lifestyle division.

Source: Selective Beauty

2007/02/16

Coty creates new global business unit
to combine the portfolio of the Americas, Europe and Asia

Coty Inc. announced the creation of a new global business unit, Coty Beautywhich will combine the mass businesses of the Americas, Europe and Asia. Leveraging the combined power of the Coty Beauty portfolio, the newly created division will be led by Hans Joachim Honigfort, former President of Coty Beauty Europe.

“The new organization of Coty Beauty combines the force of Coty's strongest brands on the market with the most talented minds in the industry,” commented Honigfort, President, Coty Beauty. “Together as one division, Coty Beauty will continue to ignite growth, further globalize our portfolio and strengthen Coty's name in the beauty industry.”
The creation of Coty Beauty brings promising opportunities to both the division and to the Company. In 2006, Coty followed a similar business model with the unveiling of Coty Prestige, a division specifically created to manage Coty’s premium brands.

Source: Coty

2007/02/16

Beiersdorf sells Hirtler Soap Factory to Budlepack

Following the announcement of the planned sale of the Hirtler GmbH soap factory in Heitersheim/South Baden, Hamburg-based Beiersdorf AG and Budelpack International today announced that they have signed an agreement to sell the factory. The Dutch group, which will acquire 100 percent of the shares in Hirtler GmbH and take over all its staff, is one of Europe’s leading contract manufacturers and packers of fast moving consumer goods.

Since it was formed in 1971, Budelpack International has been a successful partner to numerous consumer goods manufacturers, in particular in the personal & home care segment. The group, which has 1700 employees and nine production facilities in seven European countries, supports its customers in the areas of manufacture and packing. Budelpack generated sales of EUR 220 million in 2006.

Source: Beiersdorf

2007/02/16

Coty partners with Kate Moss

Coty Inc. announced the signing of supermodel and fashion icon, Kate Moss, as Coty’s latest beauty partner to develop and market her own line of signature fragrances. The fragrance venture extends Moss’s professional relationship with Coty; simultaneously, she will continue to be the global face of Rimmel London, Coty’s top-selling color cosmetic line.

Set to debut in the fall 2007, the yet-to-be named fragrance line will launch throughout Europe, the Middle East and Australia with subsequent plans to extend to the United States, Canada and Latin America. The line will include eau de toilette, eau de perfume and ancillary products.

Source: Coty

2007/02/14

Selective Beauty: New business organisation

Source: Selective Beauty

2007/02/14

L’Oréal’s annual results 2006

Commenting on the annual results, Mr Jean-Paul Agon, Chief Executive Officer of L'Oréal, said: "In 2006, L’Oréal achieved further strong growth in its results. The success of the product innovations, the strength of our brands and the rapid pace of our geographic expansion have once again enabled us to improve
our worldwide positions. Operating profit rose strongly under the combined effect of the product value enhancement strategy and the strict control of all costs. Profitability has thus improved significantly to reach 16.1 % of sales. All the divisions and zones across the board contributed to this increase in our profitability.

The acquisition of The Body Shop, consolidated since July 1st 2006, made a positive contribution to the growth of both sales and earnings in the second half. All these results and the dynamism they convey inspire confidence for 2007".

Sales up by +8.7%

Group sales at December 31st 2006 amounted to € 15,79 billion, up by +8.7%. Currency fluctuations had a slightly negative impact of -0.2%. Excluding currency fluctuations, the sales growth rate was +8.9% for the
full year 2006. The net impact of changes in consolidation amounted to +3.1%, mainly as a result of the acquisition of The Body Shop, consolidated from July 1st 2006 onwards. Like-for-like (i.e. based on a comparable structure and identical exchange rates), the growth in the group's total sales amounted to +5.8% at December 31st 2006 (+5.7% excluding The Body Shop).

Source: L’Oréal

2007/02/13

Beiersdorf AG and C-BONS, Hong Kong, sign letter of intent

Beiersdorf AG on Feb. 13th signed a letter of intent with C-BONS Holding (International) Limited (“C-BONS”), a Hong Kong company, to explore exclusively various business cooperation opportunities in areas such as sales and marketing and R&D regarding C-BONS’ hair care and hair styling businesses in China (“C-BONS Hair Care”). In addition, both companies have agreed to further discuss, on an exclusive basis within the next several months, a potential equity investment in an appropriate form by Beiersdorf in C-BONS Hair Care.

C-BONS is a Hong Kong company with businesses across various industries including personal care, real estate, pharmaceutical and other areas. C-BONS Hair Care offers a wide range of shampooing, conditioning and hair styling products with strong and well-known brands in China such as Slek and Maestro. C-BONS Hair Care is one of the leading players in the Chinese hair care and hair styling market with a well-developed distribution network in China.

This initiative is part of the implementation of Beiersdorf’s Consumer Business Strategy to accelerate regional growth in China, which is one of Beiersdorf’s four priority countries.

Source: Beiersdorf

2007/02/12

Symrise Research: IBR-Dormin slows down undesired hair growth

"IBR-Dormin, the innovation award winning active from IBR Ltd. and distributed by Symrise worldwide has now proven to slow down undesired hair growth. The market for undesired hair growth is one of the largest markets within cosmetics for both men and women. The concept of reducing hair growth has already been disclosed in IBR's patent covering DORMINs technology and is now strongly supported by the latest study from Symrise.

Symrise Research studied human hair samples in organ culture. IBR-Dormin showed a significant dose dependent reduction of hair shaft elongation - even at low concentrations. Moreover, the IBR-Dormin was able to naturally induce the hair's entrance into the catagen stage of the hair cycle. During the catagen stage the old hair stops growing and gets ready to be shed, while a new hair is formed, which takes time.

IBR-Dormin, a DORMANT bulb extract is able to slow down cell proliferation due to the dormins extracted from plant organs which are in their dormant stage. At that stage, plants, and Narcissus bulbs in this case are not growing, but restoring their youth, energy and beauty for the next growth season. The extract has the same reversible effect on human skin. The IBR-Dormin and the patented DORMIN technology (including other products in the line) are aimed at storing youth (= ANTI AGING products) and at prompting effects which are derived from reversible cell proliferation inhibition such as undesired hair growth - as now verified by Symrise Research.

Source: IBR

2007/02/02

U.S. Packaging Machinery Exports Reflect Upward Momentum

From January to November of last year, United States exports of packaging machinery increased 7 percent compared to the same period of 2005 totaling U.S. $783 million. U.S. imports of packaging machinery increased 6 percent. The data, based on U.S. Census estimates and reported by the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), reflects the overall economic impact of the U.S. packaging industry.

According to PMMI’s 12th Annual Shipments and Outlook Study, released in September 2006, growth in U.S. packaging machinery shipments can be attributed to end-users expanding production lines to accommodating new product introductions and package designs. In effect, end-users continued to replace older packaging machines with new models featuring state-of-the-art technology and promising rapid return on investment.

Founded in 1933, the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) is the leading global resource and trade association for the packaging industry. PMMI’s membership has grown to more than 500 members who manufacture packaging and packaging-related converting machinery and twenty three supplier members who manufacture commercially available packaging machinery components in the United States and Canada. More than one out of every four machines sold around the world is made by a PMMI member company

Source: PMMI

2007/02/01

Henkel reports another strong year

Henkel’s sales and profits enjoyed another significant increase in fiscal 2006. Particularly encouraging was the strong organic sales growth, i.e. sales generated from existing businesses. In fiscal 2006, Henkel sales were 12,740 million euros, an increase of 6.4 percent over the prior year. Organic sales growth – i.e. growth adjusted for foreign exchange and acquisitions/divestments – was 6.0 percent, exceeding the already good growth of the previous year.

Operating profit (EBIT) improved by 11.7 percent versus the level for the previous year, to 1,298 million euros. Included in this amount is a positive balance of exceptional items realized in the fourth quarter, totaling 23 million euros. Return on sales (EBIT) rose 0.5 percentage points to 10.2 percent.

Financial items were on the prior-year level, amounting to -122 million euros. Earnings before tax increased significantly, up 12.9 percent to 1,176 million euros. Net earnings also increased substantially, to 871 million euros, 13.1 percent above the prior-year figure. Earnings after minority interests were 855 million euros. This corresponds to an increase over the prior year by 12.9 percent. Earnings per preferred share likewise substantially exceeded the previous year, up 12.6 percent to 5.98 euros.

Sales of the Cosmetics/Toiletries business sector rose by 8.9 percent to 2,864 million euros. Organic growth was 4.1 percent compared to the previous year. Operating profit rose to 359 million euros or 11.7 percent above the prior-year figure.

Henkel sales in the fourth quarter of 2006 were 3,202 million euros or 3.7 percent above the prior-year quarter. Organic sales grew 6.7 percent. Operating profit rose versus the previous year by 7.3 percent to 323 million euros. This figure includes a positive balance of exceptional items realized in the fourth quarter, totaling 23 million euros. Earnings per preferred share rose by 13 eurocents to 1.54 euros.

Source: Henkel

January 2007

2007/01/30

Ethnicity and its impact on the Beauty industry

The NPD Group's latest report finds hispanic women favor make-up, Asian Women gravitate to skin care products and African American women fancy fragrance and bath products

As the population of the U.S. becomes more and more ethnically diverse, women of different ethnic groups continue to change the face of beauty. According to a new report from The NPD Group, over three quarters of women across all ethnic groups currently use basic beauty products such as skincare, makeup, bath, and shaving products. However, after taking a closer look, NPD found some differences between what various female ethnic groups are reporting in terms of beauty product usage. According to the report, makeup and skincare products are not as widely accepted across all ethnic segments as one might think – and all “women of color” do not behave similarly when it comes to beauty products - not only category usage, but brand preferences vary widely across ethnic groups as well. Overall, African American women are less likely than Caucasian women or other “women of color” to use either makeup or skincare products. In fact, one in three African American women told NPD they don’t currently use makeup and one in four reported that they don’t use any type of skincare product. They’re also less likely to use shaving products, but are more likely than any other ethnic group to use fragrances or bath products.

“This stands out as a significant opportunity for retailers and manufacturers. According to our research, it is apparent that once involved with makeup and skincare products, African American women have the tendency to be heavy product users and more brand loyal compared to other ethnic groups,” said Karen Grant, senior beauty analyst, The NPD Group.

By comparison, Hispanic women are the most likely to report using makeup (relative to other ethnic groups) and are more likely than their Caucasian and African American counterparts to report using skincare products. With the projected increase in the Hispanic population over the next decades, this could bode well for makeup manufacturers.

When it comes to Asian women, nine in ten have reported use of skincare products – more than any other ethnic group, but they are least likely to use fragrance or scented body care products.

A greater understanding of the type of scents that appeal to Asian sensibilities is needed. For instance, within fragrance, the appeal of products that are light, clean and fresh were ranked more important to Asians than a product being feminine. This is different from all other ethnic groups where product femininity is more important.

“In beauty, the future is today – not in 10, 20 or 50 years from now. Today’s ethnic population is already exerting an impact across all beauty categories. That is a fact the beauty industry must recognize right now. And, just as all ‘boomers’ cannot be lumped together and marketed as one homogeneous group, ‘women of color’ are diverse, rapidly changing, and defy generalization. To tap into the power of this ever expanding group, beauty manufacturers and retailers must understand the nuances of differences and adapt strategies to be identified as ‘for someone like me.’ That is a key statement for leading brands that resonates well with this increasingly important group of beauty consumers,” said Grant.

Source: NPD group

2007/01/29

Lonza increases capacity for amine production

Lonza, the global life sciences company, announces the building of a performance chemicals plant in Nanjing, China. The set-up of a performance chemicals production base in China using state of the art technology has been initiated to augment long-term strategic supply relationships serving captive demand. The facility will come on stream in the second half of 2008. In parallel, the introduction of the innovative direct amination technology in Mapleton, IL (USA) in order to secure market leadership in North America is well under way.
The increase of the production capacity is a strategic move to strengthen the position of Lonza’s Fine chemicals and performance chemicals division in the growing market. Products from the plant will be used in antimicrobial applications.

Source: Lonza

2007/01/24

The import volume of perfumery and cosmetics in Russia doubled

In 2006 Russia imported goods to the amount of $ 115,8 billion what is by 45% more than in 2005. Purchasing growth was noted in all major positions of the nomenclature of goods.

The volume of supply in the Russian Federation in December grew by 61,7% including perfumery and cosmetic products – by 58,6%, soap and detergents – by 43,3%, products of organic and inorganic chemistry – by 39%.

You would like to reach the Russian market? Check www.cossma.ru >>

Source: Cosmetics i. Russia

2007/01/24

Rhodia completes upgrade at Chicago Surfactants Facility

Growing customer demand for enhanced personal care products has prompted a multi-million dollar manufacturing upgrade at a Chicago-area plant operated by specialty chemical producer Rhodia Inc. The project includes an upgraded reactor system (sulphonation) and blending vessels that increase Rhodia’s overall capacity for specialty surfactant products.

These improvements allow the site to meet growing demand for Rhodia's Miracare SLB structured surfactant compositions. Miracare SLB products are innovative structured liquid systems used in personal care cleansing products. The Miracare SLB products impart multiple sensorial and performance benefits, especially the long-lasting moisturizing effects that are increasingly popular with consumers. The Miracare SLB line also allows very diverse textures for skin-care products, from cream to lotion-like. The Blue Island plant also hosted other enhancements including an improved control system, additional product storage, and quality assurance, mechanical, environmental, and safety upgrades.

Located just south of Chicago, Rhodia’s Blue Island, Ill., plant produces an extensive range of surfactants, surfactant blends, and structured liquid surfactants for the personal care, home care, industrial and institutional cleaning, agricultural, and oilfield markets. Ingredients produced at Blue Island are found in many popular consumer products including hand and body washes, shampoos and facial washes.

Source : Rhodia

2007/01/23

New distributorship for Arkema's cosmetics powders in France.

As part of the ongoing reorganization of its European distribution network for the cosmetics market, Arkema has selected the company Laserspm to market its Orgasol and Rilsan cosmetics powders in France and Monaco. They will be Arkema's partner in developing new formulation as well as exploring new applications from the Orgasol and Rilsan product ranges. With this new distributor who specializes in beauty and wellbeing, Arkema confirms its commitment to improving its commercial package for its customers in the cosmetics industry while remaining attentive to their needs.

Source: www.arkema.com

2007/01/23

New products bombard US hair care market in 2006

2006 has been the year of new product launches in the US hair care market, according to analysts at Euromonitor International, as manufacturers have sought to drive growth in an increasingly mature market. This strategy seems to be working, with Euromonitor International forecasting value growth of 2% for the US hair care market in 2006, a significant improvement on 2005, when the market declined by -0.6%.

Men represent one specific consumer segment that has fallen under the spotlight of hair care players in 2006, as manufacturers follow the trend for segmenting their products by gender. While women have long been the focus for hair care products, manufacturers are now seeing the potential profit in providing for men. In particular, a large number of products have been launched for ethnic men, with different hair 'issues' and desired results. For example, Elasta QP for Men claims to be the first line of hair care for non-Caucasian men.

Ethnic hair-care is also becoming increasingly segmented in general, with the launch of products for African American, Hispanic, Asian American and mixed-race hair types all coming to market in 2006. Just For Me Texture Softener has been launched by Alberto-Culver as a alternative to chemical relaxants for women of mixed heritage.

New product launches in the hair care market in 2006 have also involved the introduction of sophisticated new technologies. Alberto-Culver's TRESemmé ColorThrive, for example, is being promoted as a conditioner treatment for coloured hair with Fade Lock technology.

Euromonitor's Diana Dodson comments, “US hair companies are investing in developing and promoting new technologies not only because they want their brands to stand out in a crowded marketplace, but also because they want them to command higher prices and give a much needed boost to value sales.”
Conditioners are currently showing the most promise in this sector, according to Euromonitor International's latest research. Diana Dodson advises, “Conditioners should be a target for hair care companies as they are proving to be a particularly fertile source for new product development, with sales forecast to grow by 14% by 2010”.

Source: Euromonitor

2007/01/23

Trading Up Opportunities in Male Grooming

Male usage of personal care products has risen from a value of US$26.3bn in 2000 to US$29.7bn in 2005. Despite men becoming increasingly appearance focused, barriers to adoption have caused their share of personal care markets to lag behind predictions. Companies must focus on more specific needs in order to benefit from the opportunities within the male grooming market.

In line with the metrosexual stereotype, it is true that men are using a higher value of personal care products in real terms than ever before. The value of personal care products used by men in Europe rose by 2.7% a year between 2000 and 2005 and is expected to rise by 2.3% a year between 2005 and 2010. In the US, the comparable figures are 1.9% and 2.0%.

Despite stereotypes to the contrary, older men are actually the most important growth market for personal care products. The Group growing its spend the fastest in Europe and the US is the Seniors group, which saw 3.9% annual growth in personal care value of consumption over the 2000 to 2005 period to reach a total value of US$9.8b.

Source: Datamonitor

2007/01/22

Procter & Gamble Acquires DDF Skin Care

The Procter & Gamble Company announced today that it has acquired HDS Cosmetics Lab Inc., the company that manufactures and markets Doctor's Dermatologic Formula (DDF) skin care, from North Castle Partners, a private equity firm.

The DDF line of products designed for specific skin concerns such as anti-aging, acne, hyperpigmentation and sun protection are sold in specialty retail, department stores and select spas throughout the United States and in several other countries. "The addition of DDF to our existing portfolio provides us with the ideal opportunity to reach new consumers in new channels," said Paolo DeCesare, President, P&G Global Skincare. "This move also reflects P&G's corporate strategy to focus on skin care as a key growth category."

"When DDF was created in 1991 it was a pioneering brand, one of the first retail skin care lines created by a top dermatologist," DeCesare continued. "Today DDF is a leading dermatologist brand in the retail specialty channel and has a strong following of loyal consumers."

Source: Procter & Gamble

2007/01/15

IFRA: New code of practice

IFRA has issued the first ever complete revision of its Code of Practice published originally in 1973. The new IFRA Code, adopted by the General Assembly on October 25, 2006, reflects the current state of knowledge and today’s scientific and business environment. It also makes its consultation more user-friendly.

The Code of Practice is a comprehensive document that supports the IFRA commitment to provide products that are safe for use by the consumer and safe for the environment. It applies to the creation and manufacture of fragrance compositions and use of all fragrance materials, for all types of applications. It contains the full set of IFRA Standards. Those Standards have been continuously revised and adapted to new knowledge.

Some of the most important amendments that the revised Code of Practice includes are references to new policies that IFRA felt necessary to adopt such as the new Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) method for fragrance sensitizers, the Compliance Program, the requirements for fragrances used in children’s toys and the potential skin effects of oral care products. The new Code of Practice can be consulted and/or downloaded (PDF) from the following location of the IFRA website: http://www.ifraorg.org/News.asp

Source: IFRA

2007/01/12

TAN*BIZ magazine with Ukrainian edition

The big TAN*BIZ family is growing fast: In 2007, the newest version will be launched: TAN*BIZ Ukraine. Published six times a year, it will be an excellent tool for companies targeting tanning salons to enter the interesting and growing Ukraine market.

Ukraine today is probably the most "Western-minded" ex-communist country with a strong focus on Europe and the European community. Population is about 47.000.000 inhabitants, with almost 4 Mio. living in the capital city, Kiev. 54% of the population is female and for many of them beauty and the way they look is extremely important. The majority of these women spend 30-50% of their income on cosmetics and fashion.

The tanning market itself is growing rapidly. Vertical tanning units are the most popular because they use up less floor space and this is expensive. There are over 6.000 registered tanning and beauty salons in Ukraine. Some 70% of these are located in the major cities like Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kharkov, Odessa or Lvov.

For further information, please contact Eckhard.Rumpf(at)health-and-beauty(dot)com

Source: Tanning Directory

2007/01/11

Colipa welcomes simplification of the European Cosmetics Directive

Colipa, the European Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association welcomes the launch of a public consultation regarding the Simplification of Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC.

The Cosmetics Directive provides a high level of consumer protection and has become a source of inspiration for other regions throughout the World. Colipa welcomes the principles of the simplification procedure. If well implemented, the simplification should contribute to secure the industry’s competitiveness and capacity to innovate whilst guaranteeing the highest level of consumer safety. “Industry plays an important contributory role together with the European scientific authorities and the European Commission to ensure the continuous upgrading of the regulatory environment governing the safety of cosmetic products. Such a process can only serve to strengthen the confidence consumers have in cosmetic products and the industry will actively give input to the procedure.” said Bertil Heerink, Director-General of Colipa.

Source: Colipa

2007/01/10

CCL Industries to acquire ITW Sleeve Label Business

CCL Industries announced that it has signed a binding agreement to acquire the sleeve label business of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) on a debt free basis for approximately C$105 million in cash. ITW produces shrink-film sleeve labels for the European and North American markets in two factories at its Decorative Sleeves division in the United Kingdom. In addition, the ITW Auto-Sleeve division has facilities in Austria and Brazil that produce primarily stretch-film sleeve labels for markets in Europe and the Americas, respectively.

The Brazilian operations include a sales, service and distribution arm that handles the North American market from Twinsburg, Ohio. Together, these businesses had sales of approximately C$87 million in 2006. The parties expect the transaction to close at the end of January 2007 following receipt of regulatory approvals.

CCL manufactures pressure-sensitive, shrink sleeve and in-mould labels, aluminum containers and plastic tubes for leading global companies in the home and personal care, healthcare and specialty food and beverage sectors. With headquarters in Toronto, Canada, CCL Industries employs more than 4,600 people and operates 45 production facilities in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. CCL’s joint venture, ColepCCL operates five plants in Europe and employs approximately 1,800 people.

Source: CCL

2007/01/10

Survey: Beauty Retailing Structures in the US
Drugstore battle for beauty sales with premium products

Over the past two years, national drugstore chains in the US have added upscale brands and in-store skin care consultants in an effort to attract customers to the local drugstore for cosmetics and skin care purchases. A new study recently launched by Kline & Company aims to find out if these tactics are working.

“Beauty Retailing USA 2006” will examine the overall retail landscape for the U.S. cosmetics and toiletries industry and determine whether the drugstore purchase channel has been able to gain ground in the $35 billion market. “The cosmetics and toiletries market overall is showing signs of growth at around 4% in 2006, which is the largest increase in the past five years,” says Carrie Mellage, industry manager for the Consumer Products practice of Kline’s Research division. “And while department stores and food stores continue to lose share, the battle between drug outlets and mass merchandisers is heating up.”

According to the latest edition of Kline’s study, drugstores and department stores each claimed just less than 17% of the U.S. retail market for cosmetics and toiletries––significantly less than the 27% share enjoyed by mass merchandisers like Target and Wal-Mart.

National giant CVS/pharmacy is leading the push for a larger share by offering high-end cosmetic products through its Healthy Skincare Centers, which are now located in hundreds of its 6,200 stores throughout the U.S. Complete with a trained beauty advisor to provide tips and help customers choose products, the centers also highlight the retailer’s growing line of exclusive brands and European formulas, including more clinically oriented offerings like L’Oreal’s La Roche-Posay brand and NeoStrata’s NeoCeuticals skin care line.

“Companies like CVS and Brooks Pharmacy are pairing boutique-style service with the convenience of the local drugstore as a way to compete with big box retailers,” says Susan Babinsky, senior vice president and head of Kline’s Consumer Products consulting practice. “They’re hoping that this draws women back to the drugstore, especially those looking for premium products that before you could only find in spas and specialty shops.”

By adding these high-end –– and often pricy –– brands, the drugstore chains are hoping to gain a piece of the booming professional skin care product segment. According to “Professional Skin Care 2006”, another market study soon to be released by Kline, sales for this product segment are approaching $1 billion and have been growing at double-digit rates over the past five years.
BEAUTY RETAILING USA 2006, Kline’s seventh edition of this title, provides a detailed assessment of all major purchase channels for cosmetics and toiletries, including manufacturers’ sales and retail sales by product category, as well as five-year forecasts. It covers fragrances, skin care, hair care, color cosmetics, oral care, and other toiletries and features in-depth profiles of 10 key retailers in the market.

Source: Kline’s Consumer Products

back to top >>

2007/01/09

Avon to Restructure U.S. Distribution Operations
New State-of-the Art Distribution Center To Open In 2009

Avon Products, Inc. announced plans to restructure its U.S. distribution operations to enhance service to its Representatives, improve operating efficiencies through new technologies, and achieve other cost savings that can be reinvested in business growth. The initiative includes the building of a state-of-the-art distribution center in the Midwest that will open in 2009.

The facility will employ in the range of 500 people when fully operational and will have capacity to ship 50% of U.S. sales volume. Avon also said that it will phase-out its current distribution branches in Newark, Delaware, and Glenview, Illinois, with the closures expected to be completed by mid-2009 and mid-2010, respectively, with a combined loss of approximately 620 positions.

Avon said that it expects to invest approximately $150 million in capital expenditures relating to the new distribution center and for technology and equipment upgrades in other branches. The company plans to upgrade and modernize its Atlanta-based distribution center, and is evaluating options for investing in a new warehouse management system for the Pasadena site. In addition, Avon said that it expects to record approximately $20 million of charges relating to the restructuring of U.S. distribution in the fourth quarter 2006 for employee-related costs. The company said that it will incur additional expenses totaling approximately $65 million over the next several years, including transition costs and accelerated depreciation on equipment.

In addition, Avon expects a net gain of approximately $25 million from the sales of the Newark and Glenview facilities at the end of the project period.
Once the initiative is fully implemented, the company expects to achieve annualized cost savings of approximately $35 million to $45 million, as well as incremental benefits to working capital and improved service to Avon Representatives. The cost savings are part of the company's previously announced multi-year restructuring plan.

Source: Avon

2007/01/09

Beiersdorf: preliminary 2006 data

In 2006, the Beiersdorf Group again achieved record highs in sales and operating results (excluding special factors). The special factors include implementation expenses for the realignment of the Consumer Supply Chain and the income from the sale of BSN medical. Group sales grew at current exchange rates by 7.2% to € 5,120 million (previous year: € 4,776 million). Adjusted for currency translation effects, this means an increase of 7.3%. Operating result (EBIT) excluding special factors reached about € 590 million (previous year: € 531 million), EBIT margin was around 11.5%. Profit after tax excluding special factors amounted to approximately € 385 million (previous year: € 335 million). This corresponds to a net profit margin excluding special factors of approximately 7.5%. EBIT and profit after tax developed clearly better than sales.

In 2006, the Consumer business segment achieved sales growth of 7.1% at current exchange rates to € 4,327 million (previous year: € 4,041 million). Adjusted for currency translation effects, sales growth amounted to 7.2%. All regions contributed positive growth rates. Double digit growth could be generated in the regions Eastern Europe, Latin America and Africa/Asia/Australia. Consumer EBIT excluding special factors reached about € 520 million (previous year: € 470 million), return on sales reached about 12.0%.

Source: Beiersdorf

2007/01/05

ISP acquires Vincience

International Specialty Products Inc. (ISP) announced that, through one of its subsidiaries, it has acquired Vincience, formerly known as Societe D'Extraction Des Principes Actifs S.A. Vincience, which is located in Sophia Antipolis, France, is active in the field of skin research and biofunctional active ingredient development.

Vincience produces a diverse range of proprietary materials with a strong customized product focus. This portfolio encompasses peptides, botanical ingredients and biotechnologies. Vincience Skin Research Centre houses more than 25 research scientists dedicated to skin biology and clinical evaluation. Vincience markets its products globally to a customer-base comprised of the world's leading cosmetic and personal care product companies.

Source: ISP

2007/01/02

Spain Shows Promise in Salon Hair Care Market

The Spanish market for salon hair care products is expected to post the highest growth rate in Western Europe through 2010, and there are signs that the overall market in that region is headed for an upswing, according to a new study recently published by Kline & Company.

“The Spanish professional hair care market is expected to grow by more than 3% annually, making it the fastest growing country of all the salon markets we track––including the U.S.,” says Deirdre McNulty, associate manager for Kline Europe. “Because salon hair care products are a luxury item, this growth could signal the potential for overall economic growth in a country where disposable income and consumer confidence are on the rise.”

Kline’s study, Salon Hair Care 2005, Volume II: Western Europe, pegs the overall market at more than €2.3 billion at the manufacturers’ level in 2005, with 2.1% annual growth expected over the next five years. Driving this growth is the trend toward innovative, multi-functional products, especially in the conditioners segment, as more European consumers start to search out the benefits of salon formulas that offer added shine, UV protection, and color extenders and enhancers.

Amid signs of growth, the study also indicates that heavy competition between the two top players, L'Oréal and Procter & Gamble, will require smaller, niche companies to concentrate on the cultural and fashion trends in each country.
“As an example, Spain’s Colomer Group and Cosmética Cosbar have been able to hold their own in their domestic market, but the battle between L'Oréal and P&G has left other major salon companies out in the cold,” says McNulty.
“Aside from these two giants, the salon market in Western Europe is highly fragmented, which is a reflection of the complexities in each national market,” says Susan Babinsky, senior vice president and head of Kline's Consumer Products consulting practice. “Understanding the trends and economic conditions in each country can have a big impact on market share and position, so companies looking for opportunities in Western Europe need to really understand the nuances of each market in order to plan an appropriate strategy.”

Source: Kline Group

News Archive 2006

December 2006

2006/12/18

Kolb shareholders to sell 100% shareholding to KLK

Kolb shareholders have decided to sell their entire 100% shareholding to the widely multinational Malaysian enterprise, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad (KLK). The future Chairman and main Shareholder Dato’ Seri Lee Oi Hian and the CEO of KLK Manufacturing have resolved to continue both business locations as they are without the implementation of any personnel synergies. Our time tested management and the whole workforce will play a role in shaping Kolb’s future as independently as it makes sense. The traditional name of Kolb will remain in both Hedingen and Moerdijk. The resources for development and the increase of capacity of the Kolb Group are available, and the capacity expansion in Moerdijk will go forward in a focussed and determined way. KLK is pursuing a forward integration while Kolb is pursuing a backward integration. Kolb’s skills in the alkoxylation process form the missing link between the raw materials and the high quality end products of KLK. In cultivating the European market, KLK acquires new focal points, while for us the difficult but crucial Asian markets are wide open to us at a stroke.

Although KLK is publicly listed, it is mainly in family ownership. Since the incorporation of the company in 1906 and the cultivation of plantations, rubber and palm oil has been produced. A decisive factor for Kolb was the 173,000 hectares of palm plantations and the processing of the crop into fatty acids and, from next spring, into fatty alcohols. These products are important, as they are crude oil independent, renewable raw materials for the alkoxylation and esterification processes. All of this improves the availability of raw materials on a sustainable basis and is, in the end, a benefit to our customers. Our non-ionic surfactants also contribute to the manufacture of the end product offerings to KLK customers. “Crabtree & Evelyn” owned by KLK is a world class brand in luxury toiletries and fine food.

KLK is extending its product portfolio with Kolb to become a leading producer of oilchemicals and its derivatives. With a turnover of CHF 1200 million and approximately 23,000 employees, extensive land ownership in Malaysia and Indonesia, KLK gives Kolb a potential, which we never even dreamt of.

Source: Kolb >>

2006/12/21

Henkel: Kasper Rorsted to succeed Ulrich Lehner in 2008 –
Change in the Management Board in April 2008

Ulrich Lehner (60), on reaching the Henkel-internal retirement age of 62, will resign from his office of Chairman of the Management Board in April 2008. Lehner, who – except for a short break – has been with Henkel since 1981 and held the position of Chairman of the Management Board since May 2000, will thus terminate his position in the Management Board at the 2008 Annual General Meeting as planned. The Shareholders' Committee has appointed Kasper Rorsted (44), Executive Vice President Human Resources/Purchasing/Information Technologies/Infrastructure Services since April 2005, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board effective January 1, 2007. He will be appointed Chairman following the 2008 Annual General Meeting.

Source: Henkel

2006/12/13

Colipa: REACH will increase consumer confidence
The Cosmetics Industry believes that REACH will increase consumer confidence

Colipa, the European Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association welcomes the result of today’s vote on the Council common position for adopting a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) in second reading by a broad majority of the European Parliament. Colipa is pleased to note that in addition to the high level of protection to public health already ensured by the Cosmetics Directive (Dir. 76/768/EEC), substances used in cosmetics will now also undergo an in-depth assessment of their potential environmental impact via REACH. “We welcome the outcome of today’s vote. The cosmetics industry strongly believes that REACH will contribute to increased consumer confidence. The generation of additional data and increased information flow throughout the supply chain is of great importance in this regard. The cosmetics industry is fully committed to a successful implementation and stands ready to contribute its expertise. If well implemented, REACH should contribute to secure our competitiveness and our capacity to innovate” said Bertil Heerink, Director-General of Colipa.
Source: Colipa

Source: Frost & Sullivan

2006/12/12

Perry Ellis International Re-Acquires Perry Ellis Brand Fragrance License

Perry Ellis International re-acquired from Parlux Fragrances all rights, titles, interests, intangible assets and inventory that Parlux had pursuant to a global license agreement to manufacture and distribute perfumery, fragrances, lotions, toiletries and cosmetics under the Perry Ellis brand. The agreement to re-acquire the Perry Ellis fragrance license and related inventory in a cash transaction of approximately $63 million is effective as of December 6th 2006, subject to potential closing price adjustments for confirmation and valuation of inventory levels. Perry Ellis will fund this acquisition with its revolving credit facility.

Source: Perry Ellis

2006/12/07

New Analysis: Chinese Specialty Surfactant Market

Current specialty surfactants could meet various new requirements from personal care industry such as mildness, low irritant, moderate cleansing and so on. Along with the steady economical environment, the market has witnessed rapid growth rate during the overviewed years and enjoys more tremendous growth potential than traditional surfactants. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Chinese Market for Specialty Surfactant in Personal Care Industry, reveals that the market earned revenues of $87.5 million in 2005 and estimates to reach $173.4 million in 2012.

Source: Frost & Sullivan

2006/12/05

Momentive Performance Materials Inc. -
Heralded Industry Leaders Become Global Specialty Materials Company

New company created by joining units from GE, Toshiba, and Bayer
Momentive Performance Materials Inc., the new company created by the sale of GE’s Advanced Materials business to Apollo Management, L.P., will operate as one global entity focused on technology and service excellence in the silicones, quartz and ceramics industries. The acquisition, which was completed yesterday for $3.8 billion, represents another stellar brand added to Apollo’s portfolio of chemical businesses. The former GE Advanced Materials management team, led by president and CEO Wayne Hewett, will continue in their roles in the new business. In addition, the former joint ventures GE Bayer Silicones and GE Toshiba Silicones, their employees and their management team are now part of Momentive Performance Materials. Apollo, a specialist in private equity, debt and capital market investments, has significant expertise and experience in the chemical industry.

Source: Momentive Performance Materials

2006/12/06

Coty partners with Gwen Stefani and her L.A.M.B. brand

Coty Inc. has signed a global licensing agreement with Gwen Stefani, the Grammy-winning recording artist, to develop and market a line of fragrances for her fashion and accessories brand, L.A.M.B. The yet-to-be-named fragrance, which will debut Fall 2007, will reflect the unique blend of verve, style and vivacity of L.A.M.B. fashions and accessories.

Source:Coty Inc.

2006/12/01

Dow: Repositioning of glycerine products

The Dow Chemical Company announced its decision to reposition its Optim glycerine products under the Specialty Chemicals portfolio with marketing and sales handled by its customer-oriented service company Safechem Europe GmbH, based in Düsseldorf, Germany. Optim will continue to be produced in Stade, Germany, ensuring that customers will continue to enjoy consistent production of the glycerine according to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). Safechem will serve customers on a global scale directly and via a network of authorized distributors.

Source: Dow

November 2006

2006/11/30

In-Cosmetics 2007 in Paris presents in-focus feature Aphrodisia

Aphrodisia, the in-focus feature for the 2007 In-Cosmetics show will be exploring sexual desire and ways of stimulating sex appeal within the beauty industry. in-focus Aphrodisia will engage the five senses, using fragrances, colours and textures in ways to promote sexual arousal. In-focus Aphrodisia provides contributions from 15 cosmetic companies within an environment dedicated to the senses. Currently, the anti-ageing sector represents the fastest growing category in the industry today. However, innovation is becoming more difficult and costly in this area. Cosmetics with an erotic dimension could very well be the next hot segment to develop. Although they are very close to the sensorial products of the wellbeing industry, erotic cosmetics could be characterised by their specific focus on beauty, rather than on wellbeing products and rituals. The goal of in-focus Aphrodisia is not so much about following a trend, but to revisit and reinvent the erotic nature of cosmetics and reaffirm their function beyond the pursuit of wellbeing through toiletries and spa and health through nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals.

Source: In-Cosmetics

2006/11/27

Inter Parfums provides guidance for 2007 with Record Sales

The management of Inter Parfums is projecting 2007 net sales of approximately $365 million, or about 19% ahead of 2006’s mid-range guidance of $305.5 million. Net income for 2007 is expected to approximate $20.4 million or $1.00 per diluted share. This represents a 21% improvement over management’s 2006 net income guidance of $16.9 million and a 20% gain compared to the expected $0.83 per diluted share for 2006. Inter Parfums has again advised that its guidance assumes the dollar remains at current levels.
Jean Madar, Chairman and CEO of Inter Parfums, noted, “The coming year is slated to be an important one for top and bottom line growth. In 2007, we will be consolidating sales of Van Cleef & Arpels fragrance, the latest addition to our brand portfolio. We have new Christian Lacroix and S.T. Dupont women’s fragrances scheduled for a spring launch, followed in the fall by new women’s fragrances for Paul Smith and Roxy, our first under the brand. With respect to U.S. operations, the big news is the initial line of fragrance and personal care products for Gap stores in North America.”

Source: Inter Parfums

2006/11/22

ICI Announces the sale of Quest for 1,200m GBP

Imperial Chemical Industries PLC has reached an agreement to sell Quest, its flavours and fragrance business, to Givaudan for a gross cash consideration of 1,200 million GBP.

Subject to approval by ICI shareholders, regulatory approval and employee consultation, it is hoped that completion will take place during Quarter 1, 2007. Under ICI's ownership, Quest was expected to improve operating performance through delivering growth and margin enhancement in the medium-term.

John McAdam, Chief Executive of ICI, commented: "The sale of Quest represents another major step towards realigning ICI. The disposal proceeds will allow us to accelerate our investments in our strong coatings, adhesives and other specialty chemicals businesses to deliver higher levels of profitable growth."

In 2005 Quest had sales of 560 million GBP and a trading profit of 52 million GBP. Quest is headquartered in Naarden, The Netherlands, and employs around 3,400 globally with major activities in the US, UK, Continental Europe and Asia Pacific. As at 31 December 2005, Quest had gross assets of 374 million GBP.

Source: ICI

Source: Plasticum Group

2006/11/09

Seidel receives Procter & Gamble Innovation Award 2006

At Procter & Gamble Prestige Products’ annual "Supplier Review Day" in October 2006 Seidel obtained the “Innovation Award 2006”.

For Procter & Gamble Prestige Products Seidel manufactures inter alia the well-known “bowl“ for the fragrance “Boss in Motion“, design components for the male skincare range “Boss Skin“, a spray cap for ”Hugo Energise“ as well as a challenging aluminium cap with a corrugated border and an engraved Puma-logo for Puma’s new twin fragrance ”create“.

In 2004, the manufacturer of aluminium design components had already received the P&G-“Award for Exellence in Execution“ – for irreproachable, proactive and excellent service.

Source: Seidel

Source: Plasticum Group

2006/11/08

Henkel reports strong third quarter

Henkel’s Cosmetics/Toiletries business sector increased sales to 742 million euros or by 9.1 percent compared to the figure for the prior-year quarter, which had been increased by advance orders placed by Henkel’s Dial customers.

The successful integration of the former Gillette deodorant brands constituted a further contributory factor. Organic growth was 3.0 percent, with Eastern Europe and Latin America each delivering double-digit growth rates. Operating profit rose by 13.7 percent to 89 million euros.

The hair cosmetics business saw a continuation of the positive developments experienced in the first two quarters of 2006. The colorants business performed particularly well, with strong growth from the brands Brillance, Palette and Natural & Easy. Market positions in Europe expanded in all categories. The body care business confirmed its upward performance trend.

Once again, the growth drivers were the two major brands Fa and Dial. Fa further expanded its market position, setting a clear, positive course with new products such as Fa Speedster for Men. In addition, the relaunch of the deodorant line, realized in the second quarter, showed good initial results. Dial continued its successful brand development with new products, particularly for the Dial for Men line, and expanded its market position in the dynamically growing shower products segment.

The skin care business profited from the launch of Diadermine Lift+ Re-Sculpture Cream. In the oral care business, the focus was on the launch of new products in the form of Theramed Dispenser Sensitive in Germany and Licor del Polo Titanium in Spain. In the hair salon business, which performed markedly well in Eastern Europe and North America, activities centered on relaunches of the styling brand OSiS and the permanent hair colorant VITON S.

Quelle: Henkel

2006/11/07

Mattel's Barbie to partner with cosmetics company MAC

Mattel said that its Barbie business will partner with cosmetics company MAC (Make-up Art Cosmetics) for an "adult-targeted project" that will be unveiled in the spring of 2007.

The toy company declined to give more details on the partnership. Mattel does not currently sell Barbie cosmetics in the United States, although it does sell Barbie children's cosmetics in markets such as Europe, Latin Americas and Asia.
It said the collaboration is the first time that Barbie has partnered with "an adult prestige cosmetics company."

Mattel, the No. 1 U.S. toy maker, has been working to revive sales of its Barbie business amid difficult market conditions and stiff competition from MGA Entertainment's Bratz fashion dolls. It has introduced new Barbie dolls, like its 12 Dancing Princesses line, and is trying to expand Barbie's reach beyond toys. Last year, Mattel extended Barbie's U.S. domain with Barbie Luxe, a line of high-end designer clothing and accessories for adult women. It has a similar line in Japan, where it has Barbie boutiques.

Source: Reuters

2006/12/07

New Analysis: Chinese Specialty Surfactant Market

Source: Frost & Sullivan

2006/11/03

Plasticum Group acquires Bespak’s Consumer-Business

Plasticum will take over the assets of Bespak’s trigger sprayers, fine mist spray pumps, lotion dispensing pumps and continuous spray valves/actuators, which are typically used to dispense hair care, skin care, fragrance and pharmaceutical products. The transfer of machines and equipment to the Plasticum plants in the UK and the Netherlands will be done in close co-operation with Bespak, to ensure that the uninterrupted supply of products to customers is guaranteed. For Plasticum, the dispensing systems are complementary to its existing product portfolio of spray caps, closures and containers for the consumer market.

Source: Plasticum Group

2006/11/03

L’Oréal acquires Sanoflore organic cosmetics brand

L’Oréal has announced its acquisition of the French Laboratoire Sanoflore, a pioneer in the design, manufacture and marketing of certified organic cosmetics products.
Founded 20 years ago in south-eastern France, Sanoflore manufactures and distributes through pharmacies and specialist shops its ranges of cosmetics and aromatherapy products. Sanoflore handles all the stages in the aromatic and medicinal plant chain, from cultivation with partner farmers to the finished product. All Sanoflore cosmetics products are certified by Ecocert and labelled as organic products. Sanoflore, which employs 147 people, will achieve sales of about 15 million euros in 2006, including 20% outside France. Sanoflore will become part of L’Oréal’s Active Cosmetics Division.

Quelle: L’Oréal

2006/11/02

8 hair coloring ingredients banned

With the aim of strengthening consumer confidence, an overall process was established in 2003 in agreement with the European Commission, Member States and stakeholders; namely industry and consumer associations. As part of the process, the industry decided to submit files on 115 hair colorants for assessment by the Scientific Committee. Other hair colorant ingredients, which are either obsolete or do not present a technical interest, are subject to an automatic ban even though there is no proven risk for consumers. On 25 October the European Commission adopted a ban of 8 of those hair coloring ingredients. This follows the same procedure as the ban published on July 19, 2006 where the European Commission announced its decision to ban 22 substances. Similarly other obsolete coloring substances will be proposed for ban in the near future.

Source: Colipa

back to top >>

2006/11/02

Herbalife launches anti-aging skin care line

Herbalife, a global nutrition direct-selling company, launched several new products in its Skin Activator line of anti-aging skin care, containing a glucosamine complex clinically shown to firm and smooth skin while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. A study of the active glucosamine ingredient(a) shows the following beneficial effects on the skin: Wrinkles - 57 percent improvement in just three months; 32 percent improvement in fine lines and wrinkles after just four weeks.
Smoothness - 33 percent increase in skin smoothness after just two weeks; 40 percent after four weeks. Hydration - 44 percent improvement in skin moisture content after four weeks; 51 percent improvement after three months. Firmness - 23 percent increase in skin firmness after one month.

Source: Herbalife

News October 2006

2006/10/20

Boxal bottles scoop Can of the Year awards

Boxal aluminium bottles scoop the Cans of the Year awards 2006 at the Can Maker summit in Barcelona with the 25 cl Coca Cola BLAK contour bottle and the 33 cl Heineken Icône bottle.The bottles produced at the Boxal plant in France on dedicated beverage bottles lines have been distinguished by several awards: "Can of the year" 2006 for the BLAK contour bottle, "Can of the year Delegates choice" for the ICONE bottle, "Can of the year Gold" for the BLAK contour bottle in the Bottle category, "Can of the year Silver award" for the Heineken ICONE bottle in the Bottle category. It is the first time in the competition history a bottle takes the overall award.

Source: www.boxal.com back to top

2006/10/19

Selective Beauty opens US Subsidiary

Selective Beauty, the international manufacturing and distribution company of fine fragrances and cosmetics, announces the opening of its first US-based subsidiary, Selective Beauty Corporation, located in New York City. Selective Beauty Corporation will manage the national distribution of brands already under license including Sonia Rykiel, Balmain and Max Mara and brands under global distribution, such as Chopard. In Spring 2007, Selective Beauty Corporation will launch Agent Provocateur nationally in the specialty retail market and Benetton in department stores. Selective Beauty Corporation will be led by Sylvie Ganter, who will serve as president of the company. Prior to joining Selective Beauty, Ganter was the Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Fresh, a company of the LVMH Group, and before that, the Vice President of the US Fragrance Division at Hermès.Selective Beauty has partners including Lanvin, Burberry, Lolita Lempicka, Bulgari, Chopard and Elizabeth Arden. Selective Beauty also develops and distributes prestigious brands under worldwide licenses and global partnerships such as Agent Provocateur, Benetton, Max Mara and Trussardi. The company has over 500 employees world-wide.

Source: www.selective-beauty.com

2006/10/18

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton achieved organic growth

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton achieved revenues of € 10.6 billion in the first nine months of 2006, reflecting organic growth of 11% compared to the same period in 2005. n Perfumes & Cosmetics, revenue for the major French brands increased notably. For perfumes, the launches of Insolence by Guerlain, of Ange ou Démon by Givenchy and of KenzoAmour by Parfums Kenzo have been the highlights of the third quarter. In make-up, the new lipstick Rouge Dior is a great success.

Source: LVMH

2006/10/11

DSM invests in Sol-Gel Technologies

DSM Venturing, the corporate venturing unit of Royal DSM N.V., has invested US$2 million in Sol-Gel Technologies Ltd. According to DSM, the transaction will help the company further its development of skin care and dermatology applications in its personal care expansion.

Sol-Gel develops ingredients for sunscreens, anti-acne and antiaging products based on its sol-gel technology. The company's technology enables room temperature entrapment of organic and bioactive molecules in silica glass beads. Therefore, the deliver reportedly can be controlled. The company has received exclusive worldwide licenses and patents, plus patents pending, for this technology.

The two companies have also reported plans to explore possible joint development activities and other collaborations. These collaborations will not only include personal care, but may also include DSM's animal and human nutrition markets.

Source: DSM

2006/10/10

Fragrances: top flavors in new launches

Aside from blend, musk was the leading aroma in fragrances in the year to July 2006. Amber has gained popularity in the timeframe, rising from eighth to fourth positioning, while sandalwood has fallen from third to sixth positioning.

Source: Datamonitor

2006/10/06

Procter & Gamble to expand production capacity in India

Procter & Gamble (P&G) Hygiene and Health Care are to invest Rs.56 crore, or US$12.1 million, to expand the capacity of their existing feminine hygiene plant in Goa and build new healthcare plants in Baddi and Himachal Pradesh.

Source: Datamonitor

2006/10/04

New personal care launches May-Jul: small demand for supplements

Productscan Online reports that skin care was the leading category in May to July 2006, followed by soap & body cleansers. Hair styling products experienced a significant rise in launches, with over 188% more products launched under this category in the three month period in 2006 compared to the same timeframe in 2005. However, the vitamins & supplements category saw only a small increase in launches of only 3.7%.

Product claims: new personal care launches, May-Jul

Productscan Online shows that upscale retained its position as the leading claim in new personal care launches in May to July 2006, compared to the same period in 2005, with over 20% of new launches featuring this claim. Two claims which have fallen in popularity are 'quick' and high vitamins, with both claims featuring on less than 10% of new products in the three months in 2006, compared to reaching double percentage figures in the 2005 timeframe. Aside from blend, musk was the leading aroma in fragrances in the year to July 2006. Amber has gained popularity in the timeframe, rising from eighth to fourth positioning, while sandalwood has fallen from third to sixth positioning.

Source: Datamonitor

2006/10/02

Beiersdorf to sell French production and logistics
Beiersdorf plans to sell the production and logistics facilities of its French subsidiary, as it seeks to restore competitiveness and reduce structural
overcapacities in the country.

Source: Datamonitor

News September 2006

2006/09/18

Greentech and Alpol present artic inspired formulations

From the white immaculate ice floe covered with snow to the transparency of crystal, from the magical iridescent of a Boreal Aurora to the subtle beauty of polar plants. It’s within this boundless surrounding of the Arctic/Antarctic that Greentech, cosmetic actives ingredients supplier, and Alpol Cosmetique, formulation, manufacturing and filling cosmetic company, have chosen to present a selection of active ingredients and textures “So boréal”.
Actives from plants and algae which have developed a specific defence system for protecting them against aggressive conditions which they are confronted, bring to “Beaureale Beauty” formulations repairing, soothing and protective beneficial effects. These five melting emulsions caress skin with a breath of extreme freshness and an infinite purity. Icy, powdery, crystalline or original, the glacier’s remineralizing water expresses itself in all its conditions and provides astonishing multi-sensory sensations.

Source: Greentech, Alpol

2006/09/14

Bayer sells its 49.9 pct stake in GE Bayer Silicones to GE for 475 mln eur

Bayer Ag said it is selling its 49.9 pct stake in the joint venture GE Bayer Silicones to its partner General Electric Co for 475 mln eur. GE Bayer Silicones is a part of GE Advanced Materials, which GE earlier announced it is selling to Apollo Management for 3.8 bln usd. Bayer said its 2006 full-year financial income will increase by 250 mln eur as result of the sale of the venture. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year. GE and Bayer formed the joint venture in 1998 to consolidate their silicone business and strengthen their competitive position.

Source: Finanznachrichten.de

2006/09/11

Q-Lab Breaks Ground for Major Expansion

Q-Lab Corporation, formerly Q-Panel Lab Products, broke ground September 1, 2006 on a 72,000 square-foot expansion of their Cleveland, Ohio headquarters and manufacturing facility. Q-Lab, which is currently celebrating 50 years of service, is a global provider of affordable and easy-to-use weathering and light stability test equipment.

Just 5 years after their last expansion, this addition will more than double their current facility. By increasing their size, Q-Lab will be able to meet the growing demand for their products around the world, maintain their historically short lead times and provide more space for their rapidly growing engineering staff. They will also be able to expand their R&D and training centers.

Q-Lab President Douglas Grossman comments, “After 50 years in the business, we still see tremendous growth in our customer base. This expanded facility will allow us to better serve those new customers, while continuing to offer the best reliability and the customer support in the industry.”

Source: Q-lab

2006/09/07

L'Oreal's new sunscreen may filter out US opposition

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a sunscreen formula manufactured by L'Oreal that is designed to protect the skin from harmful short UVA waves. The product should serve to increase L'Oreal's comparatively small share of the US suncare market, although the company must take pains to position it accordingly in order to fully reap the rewards. Mexoryl SX, an organic filter owned and licensed by L'Oreal, is particularly photo-stable - meaning it does not degrade when exposed to the sun for long periods of time - and highly protective against short UVA waves. The product, first patented by the French cosmetics group in 1982 and made available in Europe and Canada in
1993, has only recently received FDA approval for over-the-counter sale in the US. US consumers had previously been restricted to ordering L'Oreal sunscreens containing Mexoryl SX over the internet. While ordinary suncare formulations are designed to protect the skin solely from long UVB rays, which
cause problems on the epidermal level, those containing Mexoryl SX protect the skin from the shorter, more dangerous UVA waves which account for over 80% of the damage that occurs to the skin in terms of ageing, DNA damage and, ultimately, skin cancer.

The FDA clearance bodes well for L'Oreal, as more and more people are becoming aware of the dangers of unprotected sun exposure. According to Datamonitor, the US suncare market was valued at $1 billion in 2005,
and is forecast to experience a steady 4.1% CAGR growth between 2005 and 2009, when it will be worth a projected $1.2 billion. This is compared to the mature European market where CAGR growth is expected to be
3.8% between 2005 and 2009.

The rollout of Mexoryl SX sunscreens in the US should help L'Oreal gain ground on the leading players in the highly competitive suncare market - Schering-Plough Corporation, Playtex Products, and Johnson & Johnson - which, according to Datamonitor, together held 67.3% of the market last year. Current estimations give L'Oreal a modest 3.2% of the US market as compared to a leading 19.6% share in Europe. It has been noted, however, that the added protection may come at a cost. Although US prices aren't yet available, similar Mexoryl SX products sold in Canada cost about twice as much as traditional sunscreens, which means a four-ounce bottle would retail for about US$40. The very fact that L'Oreal's new sunscreen products contain Mexoryl SX may not be enough alone to help it increase market share.

Dr Darrell Rigel, clinical professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center, noted that UVA rays are present all year long, even in the winter. L'Oreal, in marketing its new formula as one that can be used every
day against the harmful effects of UVA and UVB rays, would thus create a non-seasonal, two-pronged approach which would appeal both to consumers' health and beauty needs. Due to the fact that L'Oreal owns the copyright to the product, the firm should reap the benefits of the FDA approval. The company, however, must continue to look at the wider demographics of the US, and market its formula accordingly. Executed well, however, L'Oreal should be able to fuse Mexoryl SX with any number of its key brands - including the recently-acquired Delial - and will thus be able to position it towards a wide crosssection
of individuals.

Source: www.datamonitor.com

2006/09/06

New personal care launches: makeup becomes less colorful

The leading category in new personal care launches in the three months to June 2006 was skin care, which also achieved nearly double the launches in the period compared to the same timeframe in 2005. Meanwhile, the lipsticks & lip products category has performed less well, with a falling number of launches in the 2006 period compared to 2005. The eye makeup & accessories category has also experienced weak growth, with only just over 5% more product launches in this category in the three month period in 2006 than 2005.
Productscan Online reports that upscale was again the leading claim in new personal care products, with nearly a quarter of all products using a premium claim in April to June 2006. Meanwhile, the high vitamins claim has fallen in popularity with less than 10% of products using the claim in the three month 2006 period. The quick claim has also fallen in usage, perhaps highlighting a falling consumer interest in personal care products that are fast acting.

Source: www.datamonitor.com

2006/09/04

Ciba Specialty Chemicals launches new Internet pages
for personal and home & fabric care

Ciba Specialty Chemicals has launched new Internet pages featuring colorants and stabilizers for the personal care industrie:
http://www.cibasc.com/ind-pc-cs.htm.
The pages contain comprehensive information and know-how, including product applications, features and benefits as well as regulatory information and formulation advice. “We offer essential tools for differentiating products and brands through brilliant color and long-lasting appeal,” says Jerry Pool, Global Head of Ciba Specialty Chemicals’ Colorants & Stabilizers business. “As well as a wealth of information about our products, the pages give users the benefit of our regulatory and technical know-how in the closely related areas of personal care and home & fabric care.” From the new gateway, users explore a wide range of color and stabilization solutions, find color recommendations and access a database containing Home & Personal Care formulations. The new look and feel makes the pages easy to navigate, and the content is organized by industry, effect and product range – allowing users to gather detailed information fast.

Source: Ciba Specialty Chemicals

2006/09/04

Special Fragrance Effects at eDIT Filmmaker's Festival

Creating fragrances according to movies and pictures feels like playing a four-handed piano-concert. It longs to close cooperation with producer, director and composer. It is like the design of a melody – high and low tunes, light, intensive and heavy colors creating new vibrations. Odourized movie-scenes let us immerse into the spectacle with all our senses, they circumvent our rationality and retain in good memory - for ever.

Su Skantas idea was to perform fragrant movies at eDIT this year and the creators of the festival warmed up for it immediately. The encounter of fragrance and cinema gains in contemporary importance, caused by the prompt start of Eichinger’s current production »The Perfume«. Comparable to all cinematic subjects, scenic fragrancing requires professionalism and technical innvoations, to emotionalize the spectators in a well directed way. Therefore the fragrance designer Skanta entered into a cooperation with

MAGIC BOX® who made their mark with the scenting of wide-span locations and fragrant movies in leisure parks. Since 2003 the company is developping power-ful »AirEnhancer« scent devices for scenic outputs of fragrance into cinemas with up to 600 seats.

Source: OpenPR, www.edit-ves.com

News August 2006

2006/08/23

Strategic Alliance formed by ISP and geniaLab

International Specialty Products (ISP, Wayne, New Jersey, USA) and geniaLab BioTechnologie – Produkte und Dienstleistungen GmbH (geniaLab, Braunschweig, Germany) have announced the signing of two agreements.

The first agreement establishes a strategic alliance between the two companies, and specifically involves the development and marketing of encapsulated products for the Fabric Care, Personal Care, and Home Care markets, manufactured using geniaLab’s patented JetCutter technology and other similar technologies.

The second agreement represents an acquisition by ISP, through a subsidiary, of geniaLab’s line of encapsulated products for personal care, home care and fabric care applications. Terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

geniaLab is a recognized leader in the development and commercialization of process technology related to encapsulation, particle formation and immobilization while ISP is known worldwide for its expertise in active ingredient delivery systems and performance-enhancing ingredients for the personal care, pharmaceutical and consumer product industries. Through the strategic alliance, the two companies will work together to further develop the technology as a means of improving the effectiveness and performance of active ingredients in products such as laundry detergents, fabric softeners, tooth paste, hard surface cleaners and shampoos.

geniaLab is a specialist in particle formation, encapsulation, immobilization and formulation of a variety of compounds. The main focuses are product development and toll-production of particles on industrial scale. geniaLab’s headquarters is located in Braunschweig, Germany.

Source: ISP, geniaLab

2006/08/21

Cognis half-year results: Strong growth in sales and earnings –
Review process completed: Shareholders continue investment

The global specialty chemicals supplier Cognis reports net external sales of 1,715 million euros for the six months to June 30, 2006, a 7.0 percent increase compared to the same period in 2005. Furthermore, the company announces that the process of reviewing the strategic options for Cognis has now been completed: The shareholders decided to continue their investment for the next couple of years.

The Strategic Business Units (SBUs) Care Chemicals, Nutrition & Health, Functional Products, and Process Chemicals all posted sales that exceeded the 2005 figures, while Oleochemicals’ sales remained stable. All regions contributed to this positive development.

Sales by Strategic Business Unit (SBU)
With sales up 6.0 percent to 682 million euros, Care Chemicals, Cognis’ largest SBU, achieved significant growth. The main drivers were strong sales of surfactants and performance ingredients, with demand for innovative concepts rising substantially in this segment. With 282 million euros, Oleochemicals’ sales remained stable compared with the same period in 2005.

Review of strategic options for Cognis completed
Cognis Holding Luxembourg S.àr.l., which is majority owned by the Permira Funds and GS Capital Partners, has completed the exploration of various strategic options for Cognis, started in April. After a thorough review, Cognis Holding Luxembourg S.àr.l. has decided not to pursue any of those options, but instead to continue its investment for the next couple of years. This is the most attractive option for the shareholders. With its clear focus on innovation-driven growth markets around the wellness and sustainability megatrends, Cognis offers high growth potential and has good prospects for the future.

Source: Cognis

2006/08/18

Desert Whale launches new Jojoba proteins and derivatives

Desert Whale announced the next generation of Jojoba Proteins. Jojoba Pro-HP®, available exclusively through Desert Whale, is now lower in color and odor, and higher in nitrogen content to provide superior reparative conditioning. This product is an excellent film former, ideal for adding shine to hair and a tightening effect in skin applications. Jojoba Pro-HP® is also 100% plant derived, Non-Allergenic, and Not Tested On Animals. Contact Desert Whale for more information.

Desert Whale also launches an edition to its line of Jojoba Derivatives, Jojoba Hydrate™. This product is a unique combination of Jojoba Soaps and Jojoba Fatty Alcohols ideally suited for both cleansing and conditioning the hair or skin. A proven skin moisturizer, this primary emulsifier can be used in leave-on or rinse-off skin applications.

Source: Desert Whale

2006/08/17

Ciba Specialty Chemicals: Around 2,500 fewer positions required by 2009

Ciba Specialty Chemicals focuses on the three core businesses Plastic Additives, Coating Effects and Water & Paper Treatment and thus strengthens its leadership position in the market.

Armin Meyer, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, comments: “In the second quarter, we have improved our performance, with increasing growth in sales, operating income and free cash flow.

With the divestment of Textile Effects completed with significantly lower separation costs than expected, we have made a major step towards our strategic target to focus on the three core businesses Plastic Additives, Coating Effects and Water & Paper Treatment and thus strengthen our leadership position in the market. We refined our strategy, defining distinct portfolio roles for each business and outlining a targeted, top‑down allocation of resources. We also confirmed our continued commitment to innovation as well as expansion in high‑growth regions.

We expect the implementation of this strategy and the complementary Operational Agenda, over the next years, to boost local currency sales, on average, by 3 to 4 percent per year; to increase operating income margins by more than 1 percent of sales per year in 2007 and 2008, with an accelerated improvement thereafter; and to significantly improve free cash flow beginning in 2008.”

Chief Operating Officer Brendan Cummins added: “Performance in the second quarter 2006 was encouraging. New innovative products supported our performance. Demand accelerated across nearly all of our businesses and our focus on cost management and net working capital led to increased profitability and a substantially improved free cash flow.

As we continue to face competitive challenges as well as higher raw material, utility and social benefit costs, the implementation of our Operational Agenda is our top priority to improve our overall cost structure on a annualized basis by CHF 400 million to 500 million by 2009. These measures, necessary to stay competitive, will lead overall in the next three to four years to a reduction of around 2,500 positions. While the majority of this reduction will occur by natural fluctuations, there will be some redundancies.”

Source: Ciba Specialty Chemicals

2006/08/10

NEW from October: BEAUTY FORUM Nailpro Italia

The BEAUTY FORUM Nail Pro family is expecting a new arrival!

On October 25th the first issue of Nail Pro Edizione Italia will be published. The Nailpro team are busy right now, working on the first Italian edition of this trade magazine for professional nail design, which in terms of general layout will look very similar to the German edition. However, the professional content, and the information on styles and trends will be tailored to the Italian market. BEAUTY FORUM Nailpro Italia will be published four times a year, with an initial print run of 10,000 copies.

The Italian nail design market is still relatively young, but is developing in a very promising way. This is where the Italian team see their opportunity - and of course an opportunity for you. The Health and Beauty Group are offering Italian nail designers a previously unavailable platform for communications and the dissemination of information specific to their business.

To be as close as possible to the Italian market the Health and Beauty Group has assembled a new team in Milan. The team is made up of: Helga Göhring (general manager), Chiara Tentori (editorial), Loris Sparti (advertising), and Sandra Schneider (administration). The team will be available from September 1st at the following contact address: Health and Beauty Marketing Italy s.r.l., Via San Gregorio 53, 20124 Milano, Italy
E-Mail: chiara.tentori(at)health-and-beauty(dot)it

Source: BEAUTY FORUM Nailpro

2006/08/08

WholeMan: Personal care for the man about town

The male grooming market continues to grow, and has led to increased interest from personal care manufacturers. It was only so long before a store dedicated solely to male grooming was created, with WholeMan set to open in the UK in October 2006, according to trade reports. However, it is uncharted water, and the company will have to work hard if it is to achieve success. Cosmetics News reports that the flagship store, located on London's New Bond Street, is to be 3,000 square foot, and will sell premium niche men's products, treatments and vitamin supplements.

Although the anticipated revolution in the men's toiletries and cosmetic industries has thus far not really transpired, there does appear to have been a gradual evolution in recent years in men's attitudes to personal
care. This fact, combined with the influx of new product introductions and strenuous marketing efforts of the larger personal care companies, has led male consumers to embrace the fact they are allowed to pamper
themselves as much as their female counterparts. As a result, men are not necessarily using more personal care products but instead are spending more on such products. Therefore, if WholeMan is to succeed, it appears that it needs to target its products at the premium end of the market. This is what WholeMan is aiming to do, indicating that it has a clear understanding of how to attract business.
One potential threat to the success of WholeMan is the likelihood that men will continue to purchase products from their current choice of store. The probability of this happening will increase, if you consider that the existing choice is the local supermarket or convenience store. This is because convenience often plays a huge role in determining the place of purchase, allowing the consumer to stock up on personal care items while carrying out the weekly shop. Yet, the company seems to have already anticipated this possible problem through the planned launch of a website to complement its instore range, which includes brands such as Clarins, and Bulgari among others.

On its launch, the website will also allow bookings for treatments available in-store, including facials, deep tissue and sports massage and wet shaves. These extra services could, if marketed well, provide WholeMan with an advantage over its competitors in the sector.

Another point to consider, however, is that female relations, such as wives, mothers and girlfriends, may often purchase such goods for the targeted male consumer and this demographic are less likely to venture into a male-orientated store, instead opting to pick up the required items while they are purchasing their own personal care products. The company has the potential to tap into the growing trend of premium-end male grooming products. However, its continued success will depend largely on whether or not male grooming is just a fad, and whether WholeMan manages to set itself apart from other stores offering similar products, such as Boots, The Body Shop and Superdrug.

Source: Datamonitor

2006/08/03

Douglas group on course for further growth

During the third quarter of 2005/06 (April 1 - June 30, 2006), the DOUGLAS Group posted net sales of 601 million EUR. That represents a rise of 14.3 percent compared to the previous year's quarter. Like for like, sales were up 5.3 percent. The Easter business proved a positive factor here; with the holiday three weeks later than in the previous year, the majority of Easter sales fell within April and hence within the third quarter.
The DOUGLAS Group is continuing its expansion activities: the investment volume during the first nine months of fiscal 2005/06 totaled 92.2 million EUR, contrasting with 77.9 million EUR the previous year. Of this amount, some 54 percent was allocated to powering the further international growth of the Douglas perfumeries and approximately 24 percent to expanding the Thalia bookstores. At June 30, 2006, the DOUGLAS Group's store network encompassed a total of 1,535 locations (06/30/05: 1,383 – not including Gold Meister).

The 930 Douglas perfumeries have sustained their dynamic international growth and further extended their leadership of the European market. Sales at the end of June 2006 had risen by 14.6 percent to 1.2 billion EUR.
In Germany, Douglas succeeded in reinforcing its market leadership. Sales at the 430 Douglas perfumeries rose by 4.0 percent to over 650 million EUR in the first nine months. The premium perfumeries also contributed to this positive performance.
The number of Douglas perfumeries outside Germany rose to 500 during the third quarter. They posted sales of some 562 million EUR, an increase of 30.0 percent compared to the previous year's period. It is important to note in this context that the Elytis stores in France were not shown in last year's figures, and that the Spanish and Portuguese subsidiaries have only been fully consolidated since October 1, 2005 (previous year: 50%). The stores in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Russia and Denmark performed particularly well: Douglas registered double-digit growth in each of these countries. As a result, the foreign subsidiaries' share of total perfumery sales climbed to about 46 percent following 41 percent the previous year. With the opening of its first perfumery in Turkey at the end of May 2006, Douglas is now represented in 18 countries.

EBITDA in the Perfumeries division rose to 143.1 million EUR, following 127.8 million EUR the previous year's period. The Douglas perfumeries will be continuing to drive their earnings-oriented expansion activities on an international scale. Fiftynine new Douglas perfumeries have already opened their doors during the current financial year. Additional new locations are being planned, above all in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Poland. Beyond this, Douglas is in a position to purchase, or acquire interests in, perfumery companies both in Germany and elsewhere, offering a further growth option.

Source: Douglas Holding

2006/08/02

Reed Exhibitions expands its personal care portefolio

Reed Exhibitions Ltd announced the acquisition of three exhibitions, Cosmetic and Household Ingredients (CHi), Personal Care and Homecare Ingredients (PCHi) and Personal Care Ingredients Asia (PCIA) from UK based Step Exhibitions. CHi takes place in Warsaw this year, moving to Moscow in 2007, PCHi takes place in Mumbai and PCIA takes place in Guangzhou.

The acquisition complements Reed Exhibitions’ existing European based annual event for the personal care industry, in-cosmetics. With recently established offices in Moscow, Delhi and Beijing the company is well positioned to develop the newly acquired events and provide customers with local and international support.

Reed Exhibitions has taken full management responsibility of the events and will deliver CHi and PCHi this autumn and PCIA in March 2007

Source: Reed Exhibitions

2006/08/02

Silab in the 2006 Top 100 Most Successful French Firms

For the last 5 years, SILAB has done particularly well in the Top French Firms being year after year among the 5 first awarded companies. This year, after rigorous evaluations and the audition of the 6000 firms in competition, SILAB is for the two years running: 1st on the Big South-West Area scale and 4th on the national scale. Based on 4 determining criteria (an independent capital, a turnover bigger than 10M€, a 20% growth since 2002, a 5% profitability), this ranking rewards 100 firms all branches of industry taken into account. Independent company, SILAB manages its growth by itself and keeps reinvesting its good results:by takings on (increase of the staff by 70% since 2000), by ambitious plans (building of a new Research Center operational by 2008), by innovating launches (since the beginning of year 2006: COHELISS®, DERMAPUR® HP, SMS ANTI‑WRINKLE®, HELIOMODULINE®, ADAPTONYL®.)

Source: Silab

2006/08/02

Henkel builds on success in second quarter

In the second quarter of 2006, Henkel reported sales of 3,230 million euros, an increase of 7.3 percent. Organic growth, i.e. growth adjusted for foreign exchange and acquisitions/divestments, was a very encouraging 6.1 percent.Sales of the Cosmetics/Toiletries business sector exceeded the prior-year figure by 9.0 percent, amounting to 746 million euros. Organic growth was 3.6 percent. Operating profit rose by 12.3 percent to 95 million euros. Developments in the regions of Eastern Europe, North America and Latin America were particularly positive. The hair cosmetics business continued its positive trend. In the hair colorants segment, the brands Brillance and Palette, the innovative Natural & Easy range and the roots retouching pen all developed very successfully. The emphasis in the styling segment was on the relaunch of the trend styling brand Taft Looks. The body care business, which had the successful deodorant brand Right Guard added to its portfolio in May, continued to perform well, with a major contribution coming from the Fa brand, which also gained further market share. In the skin care business, the Diadermine range generated further growth following the international launch of the new Global Action 9 line. The oral care business gained significant momentum from the new toothpaste Theramed 2in1 3D Clean. The hair salon business performed well within a highly competitive market. One of the focal points here was the relaunch of the permanent hair colorant Igora Royal.

Source: Henkel

2006/08/01

BASF begins to rename Engelhard worldwide
Rebranding starts in United States with BASF Catalysts LLC

BASF announced that an important step in the integration process of Engelhard into the BASF Group has been accomplished with the registration of a new corporate name – BASF Catalysts LLC – in the United States. BASF will extend its brand to Engelhard companies in other regions of the world within the next months based on local registration requirements.

Engelhard businesses not included in the Catalysts division will also operate under this new corporate entity until plans are finalized for the businesses in Appearance and Performance Technologies and Ventures to be transferred to other existing BASF business units.

Source: BASF

2006/08/01

Dr. Suwelack launches new collagen mask

MATRICOL® Vital C – the latest development of Dr. Suwelack Skin & Health Care AG. MATRICOL® Vital C is a collagen mask with a patented variant of Vitamin C. It rejuvenates the skin and ensures a smooth, even complexion by gently lightening the skin.

Source: www.skin-healthcare.com

2006/08/01

Three new exfoliators at Lessonia

Three years after the EXFOLIATOR® range, LESSONIA, French Spa & cosmetic company, unveils its new 4 ingredients families to fit with the perpetual demand of novelties and quality from cosmetic market.

o Argan nuts Marrocco trend
o regenerating bamboo
o energizing guarana fruit
o pearl designed for luxury products

More than an invitation to travel, each ingredient offers its own texture, perfume and colour. With these new products, LESSONIA obtains scrubs with special properties that allow to soften and purify every kind of skin.

These new ingredients enrich a wide offer giving to LESSONIA many micronised natural products such as Lapp cranberry, African chocolate, Vietnamese lotus, Indian ginger, Chinese luffa, Mediteranean rhyolite or Brazilian coffee.

As a result, the EXFOLIATOR® product range reach the 80 items, giving the Spa profesionnal industry always more innovative possibilities. Every ingredient is available with a rigorous granulometry : 200 - 500 - 1000 – 2000 microns.

The success of this range is not only based on innovation. Lessonia pays attention to the origins of goods and the steady manufacture controls so that the final product fits with the Spa & cosmetic requirements. It is the combination of innovation and safety that impulse this perpetual evolution of the raw material line.

Source: www.lessonia.com

News July 2006

2006/07/28

USC Europe: New aerosol can decoration system

The latest new product launch from USC Europe is the Flexidec can decoration system. The key benefit of Flexidec is that it brings significantly greater flexibility to the supply chain for aerosol cans reflecting the demands of today’s trading environment.

Flexidec cans have been designed to be equal in performance to directly decorated metal in both the quality of graphics and their ability to withstand the rigours of the supply chain including transportation, filling and, most significantly, water bath. However the Flexidec process allows these, fully decorated fill ready cans, to be supplied in quantities as low as 1,000; with short lead times – 21 days and low origination costs at €59 per colour.

The key advantages of Flexidec over labelling systems or screen printing is firstly the quality of print, equal to direct decorated metal in terms of fine detail print and the number of colours possible. Secondly the can decoration takes place before the filling process removing the need for fillers to suffer the expense and operational complexity of labelling or screen printing operations on their lines. The filler simply buys in fully decorated fill ready cans in whatever quantities they need on short lead times.

A high quality printed image is applied off-line to a dimensionally stable substrate which in turn is applied to the finished can using a high performance chemically resistant adhesive. There are a wide range of Flexidec test protocols including evaluations of its performance in all elements of the aerosol filling and handling process and supply chain.

There are many areas where the benefits Flexidec comes into play.

New product launches are notoriously difficult to forecast. Too high a forecast and there is a real danger of excess inventory, with the inevitable impacts on cash flow and storage costs. Too low a forecast and there is the risk of out of stocks during the critical launch phase of the product. The small runs and short lead-times for Flexidec allows the supply of cans based on actual in market sales rather than unreliable forecasting.

The high runs required for direct decorated metal make difficult the supply of aerosols for niche products or single language variants. For instance with Flexidec it would be perfectly feasible to produce a few thousand aerosols with, say, Russian as the sole language rather than, as often happens, selling over-stickered English language packs into that market.

Flexidec also has a role to play in the supply of seasonal products. At the end of a season it may not be worth buying a large quantity of direct decorated cans. However as Flexidec cans closely match the appearance of direct decorated litho cans it would be possible to obtain a short top up supply of cans to take the sales to the end of the season.
Short runs promotional packs can also be done easily and cheaply with Flexidec.

Mike Dick – European Commercial Director of USC Europe said “we are tremendously excited about the potential for Flexidec. This is an innovation that delivers real benefits to our customers in that it brings the supply of aerosol cans in line with the needs of the market today”

Source: USC Europe

2006/07/26

Sans Soucis and Schwarzkopf-Henkel chose Cremosa pump by Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer’s crème de la crème of design

Less than half a year after its launch at Luxe Pack Monaco 2005, Cremosa, the latest Gel- and Lotion-Pump design from Pfeiffer*, is now used in its lotion and gel versions for German brands Sans Soucis and Schwarzkorpf-Henkel.

A fruit of the collaboration between DieterBakicDesign and Pfeiffer, Cremosa marries ergonomics and design. Thought out down to the smallest detail, the pump has a luxurious conical shape and matte finish.
Highly practical, Cremosa’s actuator features a slight indentation to comfortably fit the finger. This packaging solution meets the demands of both the mid and prestige market.

A cosmetics brand featuring spring water from Baden-Baden, Sans Soucis chose the lotion version of Cremosa for its bodycare line. To perfect the elegant design of its all-white bottle with silver printing, Sans Soucis opted for a matte white pump with a shiny metal outershell. The result is pure and ultra-chic packaging. For high protection and to show the end-consumer that the product is closed and unused, the pump is covered by a protective sleeve.
Launched mid-May in Germany, this item is now available in stores internationally and via the Internet.

Cremosa’s gel version styles Seah Soft Tips 50ml, a Schwarzkopf-Henkel haircare product. The eye-catching green pump's shape (closure size: 20/410) gives the packaging an upscale contemporary look and fits in perfectly with the entire Seah line's chic products and modern look. This product launched in June and retails in selected hair salons in numerous international markets.

Source: Pfeiffer

2006/07/25

TUBEX wins ETMA-Competition „Tube of the year 2006“

TUBEX GmbH was awarded twice by ETMA (European Tube Manufacturers
Association) with the price “Tube of the year 2006”. In the category „Plastic tube already on the market“, TUBEX was awarded for the „OLAY Regenerist“-tube of Procter & Gamble. The attractive tube design was achieved with the latest repro-technology. The frequency modulated screen technology was refined by TUBEX especially for challenging designs. The print was realized on a new 6 colours silkscreen printing machine.

The tube “The 3rd Dimension” won the price in the category “Prototype”.
It is a highly transparent tube. Inside the tube different details are printed on an invisible medium. The total transparency of the tube, which was developed by TUBEX and Du Pont in 2002 already, creates a 3D-effect for the viewer.

Source: Tubex

2006/07/24

Alcan Signs Agreement to sell Cebal Aerosol

Alcan Packaging announced today that it has signed an agreement to sell its Cebal Aerosol business to its current management team and to Natexis Investissement Partners, a part of Natexis Private Equity investment fund. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“This sale is a result of Alcan Packaging’s continued focus on its core activities through a strategy of strengthening its leadership position in businesses where it can build a global and differentiated customer proposition,” said Christel Bories, President and Chief Executive Officer, Alcan Packaging.

Cebal Aerosol employs 593 people in 5 plants in France (including a majority stake in slug-maker Copal), Spain, the Czech Republic and the U.K. With sales of €86 million in 2005, Cebal Aerosol produces aluminum bottles and cans for the personal care, pharmaceutical and beverage markets.

Source: Alcan

2006/07/21

Polimoon to acquire Plastohm

Polimoon has signed an agreement with the major shareholders in Plastohm to acquire their shares in Plastohm. The acquisition of Plastohm will be Polimoon`s largest transaction since the group was established seven years ago. Plastohm will make a good match with Polimoon as the business of Plastohm is split between consumer packaging and components to the automotive and electrical industry, two segments where Polimoon has established a significant presence over the years.

Plastohm has it`s head office located in France with manufacturing and sales offices located in France, Germany, UK, Italy, Tunisia, Spain, Switzerland and Slovakia. The Plastohm Group has annual sales in excess of 105 million Euro with approximately 1000 employees.

The packaging business is concentrated around development and manufacturing of packaging for health and beauty care products and pharmaceutical products. Sales are spread to a large number of customers in Europe.

The components business is specialized in smaller systems and components to the automotive industry. In addition the components business has a strong knowledge and position in some specialized parts to the electrical industry.

Polimoon and Plastohm make a good fit as the businesses complement each other geographically. Both companies focus on similar products but with
no overlap geographically. The business in Plastohm has grown significantly
over the years. It is anticipated this will continue with Polimoon`s support.

Polimoon has agreed an average price per share of 8 Euro giving an enterprise value of approximately 40 million Euro. The acquisition is expected to be effective 6th September 2006.

Source: Plastohm

2006/07/13

Fragrances that smell like cigarettes or cheese?

Now that the rise of the celebrity fragrance has reached a peak, manufacturers have searched for other novel ways to promote their new scents. Productscan Online reports this month on a new Egyptian fragrance which has been designed to smell like cigarettes, while the Stilton Cheesemakers' Association has launched a specially commissioned fragrance. It appears that unusually scentedfragrances have sniffed out an opportunity in the marketplace.

One of the more unusual fragrances to appear on the Productscan Database is International Ltd's Beautimatic Fragrance Pour Homme. Flouting usual conventions in masculine scents, this one is designed to smell like cigarettes. Available in Egypt, the scent flies in the face of the belief that most consumers would go out of their way to avoid smelling like cigarettes. Perhaps it could be used as an aid to stop people from smoking, with the user spraying the scent instead of lighting up!

Another unusual fragrance has been launched in the UK by the Stilton Cheesemakers' Association, which has commissioned a women's scent to promote its famous cheese. The association states the scent is wearable and
doesn't smell as bad as a block of cheese, merely mimicking its earthy and fruity aroma. Presented in a glass bottle with a marbled appearance similar to that of blue cheese, the fragrance has base notes of yarrow,angelica seed, clary sage and valerian.

Source: Datamonitor

2006/07/13

Study: The Professional Beauty Market in Europe 2006
(The Face and Skincare Market in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, UK 2006)

Latest research by Diagonal Reports in the European professional beauty market reveals the following facts:

High growth rates for beauty care treatments
The professional beauty services market grew at approx 5% in 2005 compared to 2004, with some suppliers and spas reporting increases of 20%. All experts reported that the beauty salon or day spa market outperforms the European mass or retail beauty product
market.
Strong growth in the European day spa market is set to continue
A number of factors are boosting growth, which is expected to continue. Consumers, concerned with their appearance and, particularly, signs of ageing, want facials, skincare and anti-ageing treatments. Beauty services are no longer viewed as a luxury and salons and spas report a diversifying client base with new consumer segments of younger women and men, of all ages.
The beauty services sector has been made-over
Savvy salon and spa operators have re-packaged the traditional beauty care experience to make it more attractive to new consumers and clients’ changing lifestyles. New service concepts encourage first time consumers to experiment with in-spa treatments and buy beauty products for at-home use.
A few brands are best placed to benefit from growth
A handful of brands and companies has gained leadership in a fragmented market. There are more than a hundred brands used in the European day spa market but a mere 10% of those brands were identified as leaders by experts.

Diagonal Reports interviewed professional beauty market experts representing, just over 50% of product sales to the professional beauty services channel in their countries, in early 2006.

Further information on this market can be found in one of the more than 30 trade magazines the Health and Beauty group publishes for this segment.

Source: Diagonal Reports

2006/07/12

OTC healthcare: Turkey gobbles up medicated skincare

The medicated skin products market in Turkey is set to experience staggering growth over the next few years. The value of this market is expected to rise from almost $84 million in 2005 to $153 million in 2009, at an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.3%. This increase will largely be due to strong growth in the anti-bacterials category, buoyed up by good performances from anti-fungals, disinfectants and acne treatments.

Source: Datamonitor

2006/07/10

BEAUTY FORUM now in Serbia

The Health and Beauty family has had a new baby! Or, more precisely, BEAUTY FORUM, the number one magazine for the best-informed beauticians, will be published in Serbia, starting this year. This trade magazine will accompany, and support, the positive development of the professional cosmetics business by providing a high quality information and communication platform in the language of the country.

The first issue is planned for October, and will be followed by a second issue in December. Six issues are planned for 2007. The Serbian issue of BEAUTY FORUM will be published by the Belgrade publishers Contact Line. A contract was signed in early July with the brand owners, Health and Beauty Business Media GmbH, continuing the group's expansion as a leading European publishing house in the beauty and wellness sectors.

The Serbian cosmetics market has recently displayed some very promising and positive development. Following years of restriction on access to products and to investment in the field of cosmetics imposed by government legislation the market has now been opened up and is enjoying a boom - intensified by the desire to make up for lost time.

Contact Line has been active for 16 years as a marketing service provider and publisher, and has a firm position in the Serbian market. Thanks to close contacts with the independent republics that made up the former Yugoslavia the Serbian issue of BEAUTY FORUM will also be widely read in these countries. The decision of Contact Line to work with BEAUTY FORUM was preceded by an in-depth investigation into all of the European cosmetic trade magazines. The managing director, Slobodan Stojkovic, points to the extremely high editorial standard of BEAUTY FORUM as one of the decisive criteria.

Contact and further information:
Contact Line, Slobodan Stojkovic, Tosin bunar 148, 11000 Belgrade
Serbia
phone: ++ 381 11 2600 138, ++ 381 11 2695 216
fax: ++ 381 11 2695 309
e-mail: contline(at)eunet(dot)yu

2006/07/03

RPC Group Plc acquires Crown Group’s Risdon facilities

RPC Group Plc (“RPC”), Europe’s leading supplier of rigid plastics packaging, today announces that it has acquired two of Crown Group’s Risdon facilities. The transaction is being financed from existing bank borrowing facilities.

The Crown Group’s Risdon facilities are located at Marolles near Le Mans in northern France and at Mozzate near Varese in northern Italy. The acquisition will complement and strengthen RPC’s existing activities in the Beauty and Personal Care markets by providing manufacturing facilities in France and Italy to add to those already existing in Germany and the UK.

Ron Marsh, RPC Group Chief Executive commented: “This acquisition will propel RPC to a leading position in the Beauty and Personal Care market. It is a market ideally suited to the application of RPC’s advanced technology, and one in which RPC already has a successful and growing presence.”

Source: RPC Group

2006/07/03

Grand opening of "Anton Paar China" in Shanghai

A colorful ceremony on June 30th, 2006, marked the opening of Anton Paar Shanghai Trading Ltd. Over 100 guests from the world of politics, administration and further education as well as local customers took part in the celebration. Anton Paar GmbH now serves its customers in China directly from offices in Shanghai, Peking and Guangzhou.
In his opening speech Dr. Friedrich Santner, Managing Director of Anton Paar GmbH, emphasized the importance of providing highly trained local service technicians and helping customers find practical solutions for their measuring tasks. He welcomed the 22 new employees of the subsidiary.
Anton Paar China is the 10th subsidiary of the Anton Paar Group. According to Chinese tradition, ten is the perfect number. Manager Wang de Bin took that to be a good omen for the future success of the new company.

Source: Anton Paar

2006/07/03

AarhusKarlshamn, AAK – Structuring of Distribution network for the Cosmetic Industry Europe

Following the merger process between Karlshamns and Aarhus United, which was formalised in September 2005, the new situation provided scope for restructuring and strengthening AAK’s offer to the Cosmetic Industry.
Throughout this year, AAK's customers will now gradually experience the widened product range, including an additional range of natural speciality oils. It is also AAK's wish to service their customers via a streamlined distribution network, their ambition being “one single interface between us and the
customer”. AAK and UNIVAR Europe have reached a mutual agreement for the
termination of Exclusive Distributorship mainland Europe (Europe outside UK and Ireland) during a transition period from 1 July 2006 until 31 December 2006. However, UNIVAR UK Ltd will continue to sell AAK’s non-branded products, just like today, under non-exclusivity to the UK and Ireland markets after 31 December 2006. The transition period for mainland Europe (Europe outside UK and Ireland) shall assure a smooth transition, and AAK is pleased to serve and secure the future deliveries. For further information, please contact Ruth Howes; phone +44 1482 701271, ruth.howes(at)aak(dot)com, or your daily contact within the AAK Lipids for Care team.

Source: AAK

News June 2006

2006/07/03

Inspiring Knowledge
Symrise releases the 14th edition of the Geneology of Fragrances, entitled “Fragrances in Time & Place.”

When Symrise released its first ground-breaking edition of the Genealogy of Fragrances, the volume immediately became a standard reference on the market. The company has now released a thoroughly revised edition.

What terms would you use to describe your favorite perfume - aldehydic, animalic or perhaps aqueous? What about the cologne you gave the man in your life on his birthday? We often do not have common words to describe these scents. Even experts can have a hard time keeping track of all of the different perfumes on the market, especially since some 400 new fragrances are launched every year. The perfume industry and its clients cannot work together unless they have a common language, i.e., a common understanding with which to develop original and successful perfumes. That’s why we need a reliable "road map," so we can make our way together in the wide world of fragrances.

CREATIVE EXCELLENCE
The 14th edition of the Symrise Genealogy features 7 new families of fragrances: 2 masculine (floral and woody) and 5 feminine (citrus, green, fruity, floriental and woody), plus 15 additional subfamilies. This classification system redefines industry standards for fine fragrances. The products category has also been structured more clearly and includes information on fragrance archetypes, the 30 top bestsellers in Europe and the US, niche and innovative products and the most important prize-winning fragrances that Symrise has created.

All of these perfumes are listed in an alphabetical index. With this well-structured and highly detailed overview, we can help you understand all that has been created and offered in our market. We show how fragrances have come to be, and suggest how they might evolve in the future.
Symrise’s 2006 Genealogy – “Fragrances in Time and Place” – is an indispensable tool providing the most current information available, which Symrise clients can use to develop innovative and creative

Source: Symrise

2006/06/29

Croda to acquire Uniqema from ICI

Imperial Chemical Industries PLC has reached an agreement to sell its oleochemicals and surfactants business, Uniqema, to Croda International PLC for a gross consideration of £410 million, subject to closing balance sheet adjustments, including working capital and net debt. The net consideration will be paid in cash on completion.

Of the gross consideration, £24 million will be used to provide for deal-related costs and tax. Of the balance, approximately £130 million will be used to reduce ICI’s related post-retirement benefit deficits and around £256 million will be used in the near term to reduce net debt. The transaction is expected to give rise to a profit after tax of around £16 million which will be accounted for as a special item in ICI’s Income Statement when the deal has been completed.

The transaction is expected to be completed in Quarter 3, 2006, subject to approval by Croda shareholders, regulatory approval and employee consultation. In the case of the Uniqema business within ICI India Limited, the transaction is subject to its shareholders’ approval. The Uniqema business within ICI Pakistan Limited will not be part of the transaction.

ICI took the strategic decision in February to divest Uniqema. ICI Chief Executive John McAdam stated at the time that there was no compelling need to divest Uniqema, but if there was scope to realise value from a sale, ICI would have several attractive opportunities to invest the proceeds in other parts of ICI.

Dr McAdam said today: "We are pleased with the outcome of this sale process, and we are confident that we can deploy these resources into other parts of ICI which we believe can generate greater strategic and financial returns for our shareholders.”

He added: “I want to thank Uniqema’s employees for their outstanding service to ICI over many years and wish them every success.”

For the year ended 31 December 2005 the Uniqema business being sold had sales of £626 million and EBITDA of £49 million. At 31 December 2005 it had gross assets of £461 million.

Source: ICI

2006/06/12

Productscan Online: Shampoos all washed out

Productscan Online reports that Skin Care was the leading personal care category from January to March 2006,followed by Lipsticks and Facial Cosmetics. Showing strong growth in new product launches in the period was
Eye Makeup, with more than double the number of launches in 2006 from the same three month timeframe in 2005. Meanwhile, Shampoos & Conditioners performed less well in the period, with slightly fewer new products
launches under this category in the three month period in 2006 than 2005.

Source: Datamonitor

2006/06/09

Boundaries between 'health' and 'beauty' becoming blurred

Today's consumers increasingly believe that good grooming and hygiene is just as important as diet, nutrition and exercise in achieving a sense of wellbeing. While the lucrative wellness trend remains largely untapped by the cosmetics and toiletries industry, the oral beauty products category looks set for strong future growth as consumers seek to gain 'beauty from within'.

Growing concern about healthy lifestyles is leading consumers to question what they are applying on their skin. As consumers adopt a more holistic approach to managing their health, they are looking towards beauty products in helping them to fulfill broader health ideals. The wellness market offers growth opportunities for industry players seeking to tap into the growing awareness
of the link between health and beauty. In particular, the UK's GBP1.1 billion personal hygiene market is well placed to capitalize on the emotional dimension of wellness.

The wellness trend will have a growing impact on the UK personal care market, which, according to Datamonitor, is forecast to reach GBP6.4 billion by 2009, up from GBP5.8 billion in 2005. In the UK, more than three quarters of consumers report that they are conscious of health and wellness issues on a daily basis, and almost as many (68%) agree that spending time on appearance is important in achieving a sense of wellbeing.

This reflects that wellness does not just involve a person's physical health, but encompasses their work life quality, leisure time, exercise, personal relationships, diet and grooming. In particular, emotional and physical wellness concerns have increased for stress-driven consumers. While 60%
of UK consumers say they are taking more steps to reduce stress, only 39% report using grooming and hygiene products to help unwind and alleviate stress.

There is an opportunity to leverage a more emotional connection with consumers by presenting personal care products as an important component in achieving a level of emotional and physical tranquility.

Consumers across Europe and the US rated bath and shower products as the most relevant category in helping to achieve a sense of wellbeing. This can be attributed to the fact that the need to relax and alleviate stress is overwhelmingly more important for personal hygiene products than for other personal care categories.

Opportunities, however, also exist in other categories. For example, the market place has seen new makeup lines featuring anti-wrinkling and acne-fighting ingredients, and cleansing lotions with both massage and aromatherapy functions. Consumers today demand much more from their cosmetics and toiletries than ever before - it is not enough for their products to simply cleanse, smell good or moisturize.

The wellness trend, still widely untapped by the cosmetics and toiletries industry, has the potential to drive one of the most innovative and exciting developments in the personal care industry - Oral Beauty Products (OBPs).
Industry players have responded to the health and beauty crossover by developing combination anti-aging supplements and topical treatments.
These supplements are well suited to wellbeing-focused consumers seeking holistic solutions to managing their health needs because they promote the notion of 'beauty-from-within'.

Oral beauty products need to be accompanied by advice and education because consumers are not accustomed to taking supplements as part of a beauty regime. However, Datamonitor research shows that more than 50% of consumers indicate a willingness to try oral beauty products if convinced by the benefits.

Source: Datamonitor

2006/06/01

Julia Roberts is about to sign a deal with Avon

Julia Roberts may have been dropped as the face of Christian Dior makeup, as Page Six reported last month, but the former "Pretty Woman" will still be the face of something. According to Us Weekly, Roberts is about to sign on as the spokeswoman for more downmarket Avon - for a whopping $2 million-$4 million a year. Roberts will join Salma Hayek (who earns a measly $1 million- $2 million a year) in representing the company.

Source: NY Post

News May 2006

2006/05/29:

BASF and Engelhard Reach Agreement

Engelhard recommends that Engelhard’s shareholders accept BASF’s offer
BASF CEO Hambrecht: “Crucial step towards acquisition of Engelhard.”

BASF Aktiengesellschaft announced today that it signed a definitive agreement with Engelhard Corporation. According to the agreement, Engelhard will recommend that Engelhard shareholders tender their shares to BASF in exchange for $39 per share in cash and will withdraw its $45 per share self-tender offer for approximately 20 percent of the company’s shares.

“We are very pleased that BASF and Engelhard were able to reach agreement on a negotiated transaction. This is a crucial step towards our goal of acquiring Engelhard,” said Dr. Jürgen Hambrecht, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF Aktiengesellschaft. “We are confident that Engelhard’s shareholders will tender their shares into our offer, following the recommendation of Engelhard.”

BASF’s $39 per share all-cash offer for all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Engelhard Corporation is scheduled to expire at midnight, New York City time, on Monday, June 5, 2006.

Source: BASF

2006/05/29:

Wheaton launches a new Standard glass in Class line

Wheaton Brasil brings first hand information on the launching in the Standard line: the SB 1516-N / 20ml bottle. Developed with straight lines, this bottle shows live corners and a thick bottom, it reveals the bottle's aspect of cut crystal and much more beauty. Its flat face offers an excellent area for decoration, and it can be explored in many ways.
The exclusive Snap-in 10.5 mm termination, allows the use of the compact SP15 pump from Rexam, that has a neutral and invisible motor, sparing the traditional use of valves. It is available in the plastic or the metallic versions. Harmonious with the bottle’s body, the elongated closure is manufactured in PCTA plastic resin, also by Rexam, allows the exploration of translucent and intense colors.
Marta Bagolin, marketing director of Wheaton of Brazil, emphasizes the nobility of glass bottles in the segment of luxe packaging for perfumery. "Today we are prepared to assist the demands in the local and international markets, not only in the quality of glass bottle production, but rather in the varied range of finish and decorations that show the difference of each product."
Wheaton Brasil already invested US$ 15 million in 2006 in Research & Development of new technologies and new processes. The company assists, with these alterations, the perfumery market’s demand for more refined glass bottles, and differentiated finishes.

Source: Wheaton Brasil

2006/05/28:

Eric Vaxelaire new director at Monoi Institute

End of June, Eric Vaxelaire will replace Antoine Srkala as Director of the Monoï Institute in Tahiti. He was previously the Vice President of sales and marketing for the Perfumery & Cosmetic Division of Valois

Source: Monoi Institute

2006/05/16:

Study: Consumer Mega Trends

There are ten global consumer mega-trends that will determine successful NPD and marketing strategies in the next ten years. This report, in presenting new data to reflect consumer values, attitudes and behaviors, offers a more detailed breakdown of how the mega-trends have affected consumer behaviors, how they evolved in recent years and how they are likely to evolve in the future.

Over the next ten years there will be continual developments with regard to the
mega-trends because trend cycles are emerging more rapidly as a result of
technology, accelerated social diffusion, instantaneous communication and a
growing willingness to accept or inability to escape new ideas. Only by
understanding these new interpretations of the mega-trends can companies remain ‘on-trend’ in the long-term and actually save time by gaining a broad clear perspective of the macro-factors influencing sales today.

Global consumers continue to report problems with maintaining a work-life
balance. Pit-stopping behaviors such as workplace consumption and consuming
on-the-move have become more pronounced. Snacking has evolved into a trend
towards light meals, where consumers seek more filling and substantial meals to facilitate their ‘flexi-eating’ habits.

Trends concerning boomeranging children, extended singleton and extended time spent as older consumers have all become more pronounced across the globe. Manufacturers must recognize that consumer lifestyles are becoming more changeable and therefore be more flexible in the way they target consumers according to lifestage assumptions.
Manufacturers and retailers need to be aware of counter-trends and the
‘polarizing effect’, because for every trend there is a counter trend which
presents untapped growth opportunities as well as potential threats. Overall, to be successful in the coming years, a product or service should ideally be founded on several of these mega-trends.

Source: Datamonitor

2006/05/15:

Datamonitor on Building brands: honesty is the best policy

The UK has become a nation of consumer skeptics with less than half (44%) of the population trusting nutritional claims made by food and drink companies. Given that brands are rooted in the trust that consumers place in them, trust building brand strategies must take on greater emphasis.

This, of course, is not unique to the UK but is an international issue. Some 86% of US and European consumers surveyed said that they have become more distrustful of corporations within the past five years. Less than half of
consumers in Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK trust nutritional claims made by food and drink companies to be Consumers are equally doubtful of claims made by cosmetics and toiletries companies. These findings should be of considerable concern to the industry. Not only does it undermine attempts to develop relationships with consumers, it also hinders the chances of future new product development.

In the food, drink and cosmetics industry many of the most exciting innovations will focus on functional food and cosmeceutical products which use innovative active ingredients and technologies. When consumers lack trust in everyday product propositions, it will be difficult to generate mass appeal for these products which boast more expansive claims.

European consumers are paying more attention to the recommendations of friends and family, especially in the UK, where 72% of respondents consider the recommendations of family and friends 'important' or 'very important' when choosing everyday products and services. Professional endorsement and a good track record in business ethics also rank as the most important trust
building credentials for consumers. Nearly half of European and US consumers consider the "health advice from associations and professional bodies" to be 'very trustworthy'. Over half (57%) of European and US consumers consider "health advice from doctors" to be 'very trustworthy'.

Other factors cited as being important include seeking added information about a product's origins or provenance to choosing more expensive, higher quality variants. Marketers should seek to place emphasis on these variables to regain the trust of consumers. Transparency with regard to claims and the production process will become increasingly important. Brands which consumers associate with authenticity, heritage, honesty and competence are best placed to succeed.

Source: Datamonitor

2006/05/10:

DegussaHeadwaters Korea acquires hydrogen peroxide facility
and agrees exclusive supply contract

DegussaHeadwaters Korea – a joint venture in which Degussa and the American company Headwaters, Inc., South Jordan, Utah, each holds 50 percent – will exclusively supply the new PO facility in Ulsan with hydrogen peroxide. To enable this the joint venture is acquiring a hydrogen peroxide facility in Ulsan from the Finnish company Kemira Oyj, Helsinki. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals. DegussaHeadwaters Korea will more than double the annual capacity of this facility from its current 34,000 tonnes. The joint venture’s aim is to further expand its market posi-tion, especially in the dynamic economic region of Asia.

During the innovative Degussa-Uhde HPPO process, H2O2 and propylene react to PO when a special catalyst, also supplied by Degussa, is used. A significantly lower investment volume makes this technology much more economically viable than the production process currently employed. In addition, it is extremely environmentally compatible because apart from water no significant quantities of by-products are produced.

Catalytic direct synthesis of H2O2 as another milestone

Parallel to this progress now achieved, Degussa is also working on another milestone with Headwaters, namely the catalytic direct syn-thesis of H2O2 (DSHP). This DegussaHeadwaters direct synthesis process will be commercially available starting 2007. The combination of the HPPO process with DSHP offers additional cost advan-tages over conventional propylene oxide manufacturing processes.

Source: Degussa

2006/05/09:

Euxyl® PE 9010 proven to be safe for use in leave-on cosmetics!

One year ago Schülke & Mayr introduced Euxyl® PE 9010, a new concept for cosmetic preservation. Euxyl® PE 9010 is the combination of a preservative standard – phenoxyethanol - and the preservative enhancer ethylhexylglycerin. The addition of ethylhexylglycerin in Euxyl® PE 9010 affects the interfacial tension at the cell membrane of the microorganisms improving the preservative activity of phenoxyethanol.

To prove the effect of ethylhexylglycerin on the skin tolerability of phenoxyethanol two studies have been carried out; on Caucasian skin in Germany and on Japanese skin in Japan. No skin reactions were observed either to phenoxyethanol or to Euxyl® PE 9010. This proves the excellent skin tolerability of Euxyl® PE 9010.

Source: Schuelke & Mayr

2006/05/04:

P&G Delivers Strong Sales and EPS Growth

The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG) announced earnings per share of $0.63 for the January - March quarter. Earnings per share grew behind a six percent increase in organic sales coupled with significant expansion in both gross and operating profit margin. The company's organic sales increase was broad-based across all business segments and in both developed and developing regions. Reported net sales, which include the Gillette business, increased 21 percent, to $17.25 billion.

Beauty volume increased eight percent for the quarter behind solid organic volume growth and the addition of Gillette Personal Care. Organic volume increased four percent with broad-based growth across categories and double digit developing region growth. Skin Care volume increased double digits behind strong growth on Olay. Cosmetics volume decreased versus last year due to declines on Max Factor in North America resulting from more focused distribution. Retail Hair Care volume increased mid-single digits behind strong growth on Pantene, Head and Shoulders and Rejoice. Beauty net sales increased by six percent to $5.16 billion driven by the addition of Gillette Personal Care, organic volume growth and a one percent favorable product mix
impact, partially offset by three percent of unfavorable foreign exchange trends. Organic sales increased five percent. Net earnings in Beauty increased 10 percent to $738 million behind the addition of Gillette, solid organic sales growth, reduced Wella integration costs and a more profitable product mix, partially offset by an increase in commodity costs and marketing investments.

Source: P&G

2006/05/01:

BASF proposes nominees for a majority of the Engelhard Board of Directors

BASF Aktiengesellschaft today announced that, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Iron Acquisition Corporation, it has extended the expiration date of its tender offer with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 5, 2006. BASF has also increased the cash price being offered to shareholders in BASF’s tender offer for 100 percent of Engelhard’s outstanding shares to $38 per share. The tender offer had previously been scheduled to expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Friday, April 28, 2006.

“BASF believes that its offer for all of Engelhard’s shares provides greater value and more certainty to Engelhard’s shareholders than what may be achievable through the Engelhard leveraged recapitalization and 20 percent share buyback,” said Dr. Jürgen Hambrecht, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF Aktiengesellschaft. “Our offer allows Engelhard’s shareholders to maximize value today and without risk, instead of waiting and hoping for a highly leveraged Engelhard to deliver on its promises.”

Source: BASF

News April 2006

2006/04/27:

MeadWestvaco to Acquire Global Dispensing and Spraying Systems Manufacturer Saint-Gobain Calmar from Compagnie de Saint-Gobain for $710 Million USD

MeadWestvaco Corporation today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement with Compagnie de Saint-Gobain (PAR: SGO) to acquire Saint-Gobain Calmar, a leading global manufacturer of high-quality and innovative plastic dispensing and spraying systems, for $710 million in cash. The transaction, which is not contingent on financing, has been approved by the board of directors of MeadWestvaco and is expected to close in the summer of 2006.

Calmar’s strong presence in key markets in the U.S. and Europe, as well as emerging markets, complement MeadWestvaco’s goal of achieving global leadership in premium packaging and packaging solutions. The company’s customized pump and spray packaging solutions are used in a broad range of end uses, including personal care, cosmetic and fragrance, pharmaceutical, lawn and garden, home and fabric, automotive and other industrial applications. Calmar’s customers are among the most trusted consumer products companies in the world.

“Calmar is led by a proven management team and the company has a history of superior customer service, unrivaled innovation, strong financial and operating performance, and market leadership,” said John A. Luke, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of MeadWestvaco. “This acquisition gives us solid footing in primary packaging, providing an excellent opportunity for MeadWestvaco to deliver a more comprehensive array of valuable packaging solutions to customers worldwide.”

Calmar’s revenue over the past 12 months was approximately $420 million with an EBITDA of $81 million. The company’s management team will remain in place. MeadWestvaco expects Calmar to have minimal impact on its earnings through 2006 and to be accretive to its earnings beginning in 2007.

“Adding Calmar to our existing packaging platform expands our ability to meet our customers’ global packaging needs, particularly in higher-growth emerging markets where companies are seeking a single partner to provide them with innovative and cost-effective solutions,” added Mr. Luke. “Calmar provides us with an opportunity to expand in our key current markets of pharmaceutical, personal care, and cosmetics and fragrance, while also giving us access to exciting new growth opportunities in markets such as home and fabric, and lawn and garden sectors. We welcome the dedicated and hard-working employees of Calmar to MeadWestvaco, and are confident that this combination will create more opportunities for our customers, employees and shareholders.”

Source:
MeadWestVaco

2006/04/27:

Titanium Dioxide on the Right Track

The trend towards high protection factors (SPF) in Sun Care products makes titanium dioxide still one of the formulators first choice.
Especially hydrophobically coated titanium dioxide like TEGO® Sun T 805, which is cost efficient and universally applicable. TEGO® Sun T 805 provides high UV-B absorption, contributes to excellent water resistency, is aluminium free and acts as a SPF booster together with organic filters. Up to now, a corresponding quality has already been available. However, Degussa’s business line Goldschmidt Personal Care is now primarily bringing this all-purpose UV-filter to the market. For the United States, a GMP quality, TEGO® Sun T 805 G, is available as well. Goldschmidt Personal Care has already shown impressive sun care expertise including innovative uses with zinc oxides and titanium dioxide
dispersions.

Source: Degussa

2006/04/18:

Call for entries: New FiFi® Award Design Competition

The Fragrance Foundation is pleased to announce a call for entries to package designers worldwide for the redesign of The Fragrance Foundation’s FiFi® Award trophy, to be showcased at the 2007 Awards. The contest will take place at The Fragrance Foundation in September 2006 when a panel of judges will vote to determine the top five trophy designs. The judging panel will comprise packaging magazine representatives, packaging engineers and fragrance industry professionals. The top five designs will then have to submit actual models for the final judging, held in October 2006, and the winning design will be announced immediately.

For over thirty years, the FiFi trophy, designed by one of the industry’s leading designers, Pierre Dinand, and produced in France by Pochet, has been presented to fragrance’s leading talent to honor and recognize their significant achievements in the industry. Commissioned by The Fragrance Foundation in 1975, Dinand designed the FiFi Award trophy with two 12-inch abstract columns embracing a droplet symbolizing fragrance.

Those entering should have 10 or more years of experience in the field of fragrance packaging (bottle) design. In order to be eligible to enter the competition, participants must send completed entry form, resumé listing professional credentials, and portfolio.

The Fragrance Foundation will review all entry forms and advise each designer if his/her request for submission of a FiFi Award design has been approved by Friday, May 19th, 2006.

For entry form and further guidelines regarding design of entries, please log onto the Foundation’s website, www.fragrance.org.

THE DEADLINE DATE for Entry Forms is Monday, May 15th, 2006

Source: The Fragrance Foundation

2006/04/18:

Greentech launches Inca Inchi Lipoactive

Inca Inchi is a peruvian Amazonia plant known by local people for thousands of years. The pre-Inca and Inca cultures used it as engravings show on ceramics found in graves. Inca Inchi lipactive® comes from seeds growing in the Amazonian area of Peru, according to traditional and organic agriculture methods. Coming from an integrated field from the seed to the oil, these seeds are guaranteed without any chemical treatments and stored in controlled conditions from their crop to their industrialization. Inca Inchi lipactive® is obtained by cold pressure of seeds followed by a mechanical clarification by decantation and filtration.

The culture of Inca Inchi plant and its oil industrialization take part in a sustainable development programme in Peru – OMEGA programme – associated with the Amazonia reforestation and fair trade.

From all known natural sources, Inca Inchi lipactive® is the richest oil in Omega 3 ;compared with oils of all oleaginous seeds used all over the world.
It is the richest in unsaturated fatty acids. They can reach 94% of its composition. This oil is a concentrated source of phenolic anti-oxidant with more than 2000 mg/kg of tocopherols under gamma and delta form. This high content allows this oil to get a stability with an adequate oxidation to keep its taste and quality during all its preservation.

The product can be used in the following personal care products: Anti-ageing skin care, regenerative and healing skin care, anti-stretchmarks products, moisturizing products, against dry skin with atopic tendency, for after sun care
for feet care and hand care

Source: Greentech

2006/04/10:

Kemira acquires the business of Germain IFAC GmbH

Kemira Oyj and the German company IFAC GmbH & Co. KG have reached an agreement about the acquisition of IFAC by Kemira. IFAC GmbH & Co. KG is privately-owned R&D company especially focused on R&D projects for cosmetics industries. IFAC is a leading development company in nanotechnology applications within cosmetics industries and it owns a strong patent portfolio within this application area. The company is located in Oberhausen, Germany and employs over 10 professionals.

With this acquisition Kemira Pigments, a Strategic Business Unit of Kemira’s Performance Chemicals business area, will accelerate its growth towards the leading specialty TiO2 supplier to the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. IFAC will strengthen Kemira’s position especially in nanotechnology applications and services and improve Kemira’s technical customer service with more knowledge of the customer industries.

Kemira is a supplier of high quality titanium dioxide and specialty pigments, with a leading position as a pigment supplier to the printing ink industries. In addition, Kemira is one of the leading pigment suppliers to the food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industries. The annual TiO2 production capacity of Kemira Pigments amounts to 130 000 t/a and it employs about 700 people. Kemira as a whole employs over 7,700 employees in more than 40 countries and net sales in 2006 amounts to over 2 billion euros.

Source: Kemira

2006/04/09:

Lessonia launches Amazonia ingredients during In-Cosmetics

During In-cosmetics 2006 issue, Lessonia introduced ingredients
coming from the Amazonia. These ingredients were shown at the In-
Focus Amazonia and at the Lessonia’s stand.

The company got a great success as these ingredients correspond to the trend
of natural cosmetics and are nourishing our wide variety of natural
ingredients. Lessonia’s proposal offers now a very complete
panorama of SPA ingredients coming from different parts of the
world.

At the very beginning the company was just offering ingredients for
“the celtic thalassotherpy cures” but quickly Lessonia has increased
its proposal. It is now offering ingredients dedicated to various SPA
treatments and SPA products:

• Cocoa for “the Incas’luxury jewel”
• Grape for “the bordeaux epicure”
• Cranberry for “laplanders’ legendary strength”
• Green tea for “the Japanese ceremony”
• Ginger for “the Bali stolen secrets”
• Orange for “the Middle Orient ritual”
• Amazonia for “the Amazonian tribes rituals”

Source: Lessonia

2006/04/06:

Formulation Convenience:
Degussa Presents Novel Technology for the Cosmetic Wipes Market

Degussa’s business line Goldschmidt Personal Care has developed an innovative concentrate for wet wipe applications. Never before has a PEG-free, low viscous impregnating lotion with such an extremely fine particle size been available.

TEGO® Wipe DE is specially designed for conveniently formulating O/W impregnating lotions. It is made up of a unique blend of EO-free emulsifiers,
a caring cosmetic emollient and significant amounts of preservatives. The
liquids can easily be prepared by simply diluting the concentrate with water.
Emulsions based on TEGO® Wipe DE have a very fine degree of dispersion
which leads to a good long-term stability.

TEGO® Wipe DE allows the addition of various oils and oil-soluble actives
such as perfume. Active ingredients such as panthenol, allantoin or
creatine are well tolerated by the final impregnating liquid. Also glycerin and
alcohol can be included. O/W formulations based on TEGO® Wipe DE are
also suitable for the formulation of sprayable emulsions.

The emulsions have a wide heat and cold stability range. Due to the
relatively high amount of preservative an additional preservation of the
resulting impregnating oil-in-water lotion may not be necessary. The
recommended usage concentration of TEGO® Wipe DE is 4.0 - 8.0 %.

Source: Degussa

2006/04/06:

Litchiderm – a fruity skincare active ingredient for a wellness experience

Laboratoires Sérobiologiques (LS), the active ingredients business of Cognis Care Chemicals, has now developed the multifunctional active LitchidermTM LS 9704, a lychee extract which protects and hydrates the skin, and leaves it feeling fruity-fresh.

The lychee fruit (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is native to Southern China, where it has been cultivated for over 4,000 years, and is highly prized for its astringent, analgesic, stomachic and fortifying properties. Tea made from the pericarp of the fruit is said to cure skin rashes, and decoctions of the roots, bark and flowers are traditionally used to cure sore throats. LS has now discovered that extracts from the pericarp also strengthen the skin’s natural defense mechanisms in a number of ways. The new Litchiderm LS 9704 active ingredient prevents the accumulation of free radicals in the skin and significantly inhibits matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a tracer of oxidative stress. As a result, it reduces the negative effect of UV irradiation on cell metabolism, and also keeps the skin moisturized. These various complementary functions enhance the wellness of the skin, and the effect is visible in a brighter, more youthful-looking complexion.

Providing a sense of well-being
What we experience through our senses is key to our mental and physical well-being, and in formulating Litchiderm LS 9704, LS has taken care to provide both functional benefits and a holistic sensory experience. Its efficacy is related to the origin of the active ingredient that evokes a feeling of fruity freshness and exotic savor. This sensory stimulation makes it an ideal ingredient for cosmetic manufacturers wanting to be part of the current trend towards invigorating, fruity and “delicacy” formulations, anti-aging “gourmet” skin care products and nutricosmetic concepts. All of these place an enhanced sense of well-being at the heart of the product experience.

Scientifically proven benefits
A recent clinical study evaluated the effects of a cream with five percent Litchiderm LS 9704 content on the complexion. The study was carried out on two groups of twenty women aged between 40 and 60. The volunteers were generally healthy, but all smoked, exposed their skin to the sun frequently, and had dry or sensitive skin on their face, with fine lines, wrinkles, pallor and damage to the cutaneous microrelief. Over an eight-week period, both groups applied a cream to their faces twice a day. In the case of the test group, the cream contained Litchiderm LS 9704, and in the case of the control group, it did not contain an active. After eight weeks, a panel of five trained specialists evaluated the subjects’ skin complexion on a semi-quantitative scale, using various parameters such as the color of the cheekbones and facial tonicity. The study showed that treatment with Litchiderm LS 9704 considerably improved the parameters relating to the complexion and the skin’s well-being. Further tests demonstrated the all-day moisturizing activity of the ingredient, and the effective protection it provides against free radicals, UVB and UVA-induced stress and photo-aging. By offering overall skin protection, Litchiderm prevents skin from becoming dull, irritated and wrinkled.

Litchiderm LS 9704: an active ingredient for the cosmetics of the future
The wellness sector represents an important growth market for the future. According to the economist Paul Zane Pilzer – author of the book The Wellness Revolution – by the year 2010, the wellness market in the USA alone will be worth between 1.3 and 1.8 trillion dollars. The key drivers of this growth are consumers’ general desire for long-term well-being, and their growing willingness to look after themselves better. “As a result, manufacturers of cosmetic products need multi-active ingredients – products that offer both proven functional effects and stimulation for the senses,” says Isabelle Benoit, Marketing Manager LS. “Litchiderm LS 9704 combines comprehensive functionalities with a genuinely enjoyable product experience. The freshness and flavor of lychee appeals to the senses, while also protecting the skin, in a way that is visibly reflected in a radiant complexion. Skin is indulged and shows it off! We believe this holistic approach will give our customers a real competitive edge in the rapidly expanding wellness market.”

Source: Laboratoires Serobiologiques

2006/04/05:

Croda Personal Care launches new ingredients during In-Cosmetics Barcelona

With a strong focus on skin care, hair care, and sun care innovation, Croda launched a number of new ingredients to give formulators a head start in creating truly functional cosmetics.

Soul mate for the skin – Super Sterol Liquid
Described as an exceptional emollient that displays a high affinity for the skin, Super Sterol Liquid is capable of imitating and augmenting many of the functions carried out by the skin’s natural lipids. Structurally similar to skin lipids, Super Sterol Liquid is able to penetrate the stratum corneum and play an integral role in maintaining and improving skin barrier function. Data from clinical studies prove it is able to repair dry and cracked lips, and improve the condition of dry and cracked skin on hands. It is recommended for a range of skin care products to impart effective skin conditioning, repair, protection and moisturizing benefits.

Making pigment dispersion easy - Crodasperse
Claiming to make high-energy shear mixing a thing of the past, Crodasperse is a new dispersing agent developed for inorganic UV filters and colour pigments. In sun care it is recommended to optimise the dispersal of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to achieve maximum UV protection, minimal skin whitening and enhanced skin feel. It can also be used to create elegant colour cosmetics with high pigment loadings using low shear mixing.
“Crodasperse represents a real innovation in terms of the unique dispersing technology it utilizes. It helps improve formulation stability and prolong the dispersion of pigments, while allowing higher particulate loadings with lower viscosity,’ said a company spokesperson.

Getting hair into great shape - LustreplexTM
Lustreplex is a new, patented quaternary conditioning agent specially designed to deliver visible results from all shampoo systems, including clear products. Proven to maintain the hair’s natural luster, often lost during shampooing, and to effectively condition without dulling or build-up, Lustreplex is said to allow the hair’s inner beauty to shine through.
“One of the features consumers associate with healthy-looking hair is visible shine. In tests, Lustreplex was shown to outperform other quaternary conditioners in terms of natural shine retention, even after 3 shampoo cycles,” said Croda. “Lustreplex also possesses humidity-defying and detangling properties to give excellent frizz control, and leave hair looking and feeling great.”

Skin passion - Cromage Passiflora
Cromage Passiflora 30 is a naturally-derived physical exfoliant obtained from the seeds of the passion fruit that grow in the Amazon. Cromage Passiflora leaves the skin looking and feeling smooth, soft and healthy. The product is said to create a more radiant, smoother and softer complexion by removing dead cells from the surface of the skin. Other benefits include helping to prevent uneven tanning when used prior to self-tanning products, and stimulating the circulation to encourage new cell generation.
The company’s specialist exotic plant oils division, Crodamazon, which is based in the Amazon Rainforest, exhibited at the In-Focus Amazonia area of the show. Visitors were able to see the full range of eco-friendly cold-pressed oils and learn about Crodamazon’s comprehensive sustainability programs.

Source: Croda

2006/04/04:

Cognis and its shareholders start review of strategic options

Cognis Holding Luxembourg S.àr.l., which is majority owned by the Permira Funds and GS Capital Partners, announced today that, in light of the attractive market environment, it has decided to explore and pursue various strategic options for the Company. Cognis has mandated the investment banks Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan to assist in the review. The Company has no further comment.

Cognis is a worldwide supplier of innovative specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients. The company employs about 8,000 people, and it operates production sites and service centers in 30 countries. Cognis is owned by private equity funds advised by Permira, GS Capital Partners, and SV Life Sciences. In 2004, Cognis recorded sales of 3.07 billion euros and an Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization and exceptional items) of 362 million euros.

Source: Cognis

2006/04/04:

Eastman Announces NutriLayer™ a New, Natural Active Ingredient for Skin Care

Rice bran oil-based active delivers intense moisture, anti-aging and UV protection

Eastman Chemical Company today announces NutriLayer™, a premium, natural active ingredient for topical skin and face creams, sun screens and lip care. Derived from rice bran, NutriLayer is a powerful antioxidant that nourishes, soothes, and protects the skin through a combination of naturally occurring ingredients.

“NutriLayer helps personal care brands meet consumer demand for holistic, natural treatments that yield touchable, visible results,” said James McCaulley, Eastman’s global market development manager, Personal Care. “We look forward to putting this unique ingredient to work to help our customers develop the highest quality, most effective beauty treatments."

NutriLayer is extracted from non-genetically modified organic (GMO) rice, and is not chemically altered. Refined using a patent-pending process, NutriLayer delivers the essential, highly concentrated moisturizing and antioxidant benefits of rice bran. Ideal for rich night creams and lighter day creams, it forms a protective barrier on the skin that entraps water, effectively locking in moisture at low concentrations.

NutriLayer contains naturally occurring rice bran wax, squalene and phytosterols, as well as tocopherols and tocotrienol -- multiple forms of vitamin E that help slow the oxidation of skin’s natural lipids and moisturizers. In vivo studies show that NutriLayer inhibits UV-induced oxidative stress, providing long-term protection against the damaging effects of photo-aging and reducing the appearance of wrinkles in the skin.

“In today’s highly competitive marketplace, personal care brand owners are turning to powerful natural ingredients to distinguish their brands and deliver visible benefits to their customers,” McCaulley said. “NutriLayer gives brands the opportunity to substantiate their claims and give consumers exactly what they seek.”

NutriLayer is a nonsaponifiable fraction. Its proposed INCI name is "Oryza sativa (rice) bran butter."

Source: Eastman

News March 2006

2006/03/28:

New Engelhard Technology Enables Long-Lasting Skin Protection

Engelhard Corporation has launched a new, natural anti-oxidant delivery system for protecting skin from environmental stresses such UVB rays.

Engelhard PhenolineÂ® vectors are microspheres that stabilize natural plant molecules, called polyphenols, in order to optimize their protective power when used in cosmetic applications such as firming and toning skin, anti-cellulite body care and scavenging free radicals (highly reactive, unstable molecules that cause damage to healthy skin cells.)

Phenoline vectors are based on agar (a seaweed extraction), that encapsulates the benefits of flowers and fruits in their natural form. These green tea, mimosa, strawberry and blueberry microcapsules penetrate the superficial layers of the skin and gradually open in response to enzymatic action.

"This new technology enables more universal applications of the protective and draining properties of polyphenols for the cosmetics industry," said Frank Freiler, Engelhard's general manager, personal care materials. "Our exclusive encapsulation technology can stabilize a wide range of different types of polyphenols from various origins universally and rapidly."

Commercially available as gel-like triglycerides, Phenoline vectors deliver protective, draining polyphenol molecules into the skin for enduring care and protection. Phenoline vectors do not cause discoloration or reduce the effectiveness of other skin care product formulas due to oxidation.

Source: Engelhard

2006/03/23:

Study: Wellness Market offers Growth opportunities

The wellness market offers growth opportunities for industry players seeking to tap into the growing awareness of the link between health and beauty. Over half (56%) of European and US respondents overall reported that they had â€˜consciously acted upon the link between diet and appearance’ noticeably more in 2005. There is therefore a potential to develop a more holistic idea of beauty and health.

Manufacturers and retailers can capitalize on the growing interest in wellness by adding benefits that consumers associate with wellness. This will require sensory focused marketing, embracing natural treatments and looking at new ways to merchandize products with other healthy products. In doing so, companies will profit in a number of key trends impacting the

industry as a whole. A new Datamonitor report offers the details regarding these tactics and concentrates on the dimensions most relevant to the personal care industry so that industry players can capitalize on the broader wellness trend.

Key findings and highlights

Health and wellness increasingly involves a crossover with beauty. Over half (56%) of European and US consumers say that they â€˜consciously acted upon the link between diet and appearance’ noticeably more in 2005. This attitude is helping to drive the wellness trend
beyond food and drink and into the personal care industry.

Personal care occasions focusing on stress relief and pampering represent an important growth market. The combined value of such occasions in Europe and the US is forecast to approach US$6bn by 2010. This occasion growth is being driven by the mentality that it is
important to find ways to escape the pressures of everyday life.

Consumers are skeptical of health information and health claims, which acts as a barrier to growth. 78% of consumers believe â€˜product claims made by cosmetics and toiletries companies are often exaggerated’. In addition, 57% of respondents believe that â€˜the
technological advances and claims made by skincare companies are confusing’.

Source: Datamonitor

2006/03/23:

Eastman Restructures to Support Growth Strategy

Eastman Chemical Company recently announced changes to its organizational structure that will help it more efficiently and quickly take full advantage of growth opportunities. Under the new structure Eastman will be organized into two business groups, effective April 1, 2006. The chemicals and fibers business group will consist of the company’s performance chemicals and intermediates; fibers; and coatings, adhesives, specialty polymers and inks segments. The polymers business group will include the company’s polymers and specialty plastics segments.

As part of the realignment, organizations that were part of Eastman’s Voridian Division will be formally folded into these two groups. Fibers will become part of the chemicals and fibers group. Polymers manufacturing will now be part of the polyesters business. This group will take advantage of synergies between the polymers and the specialty plastics organizations. Eastman is the largest supplier of polymers for packaging, as well as the largest acetate fibers supplier, in the world.

Eastman Chemical Company manufactures and markets chemicals, fibers and plastics worldwide. It provides key differentiated coatings, adhesives and specialty plastics products; is the world’s largest producer of PET polymers for packaging; and is a major supplier of cellulose acetate fibers. Founded in 1920 and headquartered in Kingsport, Tenn., Eastman is a FORTUNE 500 company with 2005 sales of $7 billion and approximately 12,000 employees.

Source: Eastman

2006/03/22:

BASF increases capacities for acrylic monomers and superabsorbents

to meet growing demand

Extensions planned at Antwerp and Ludwigshafen sites

"Deals already signed cover most of the additional volumes"

BASF plans to increase its existing production capacities for acrylic acid and superabsorbent polymers (SAP) in Antwerp and for butylacrylate in Ludwigshafen. BASF cites major expansion of its European business as the reason for the extensions. "The decision came in response to existing as well as new long-term supplier agreements, in most cases with strategic customers. Contracts are already in place covering the greater part of the sales volume for the additional quantities," said Dr. Markus Kramer, head of the Functional Polymers division. "The aim of our business model and of the current investment program is to support customer growth and promote innovations."

Source: BASF

2006/03/20:

Plant extracts with innovative mechanisms of action

Symrise offers unique active ingredients that combat skin aging and oxidative stress

Besides the product IBR-dorminÂ®, Symrise assumed marketing responsibilities of another group of actives by Israeli Biotechnology Research: colorless carotenoids. Their activity profile is comparable to traditional, intensely colored carotenoids, only without the color.

Symrise has added two innovative groups of active ingredients derived from plant extracts to its portfolio.

The product IBR-TCLCâ„¢ is based on colorless carotenoids in tomatoes. This may sound paradoxical, but turns out to be an ingenious idea. Colorless carotene precursors (phytoene and phytofluene) are extracted before the tomatoes can convert them into a red pigment. The product IBR-CLCÂ® is also based on the extraction of colorless caratenoids, however from algae.

The activity profile of these colorless carotenoids is analogous to that of their pigmented counterparts, i.e., they have antioxidant, UV-protective, anti-inflammatory and antimutagenic properties. Having fewer double bonds, however, makes IBR-CLCÂ® and IBR-TCLCâ„¢ significantly more stable.

What this means is that IBR-CLCÂ® and IBR-TCLCâ„¢ overcome the disadvantages of classic carotenoids: these extracts have no interfering color of their own and they are less sensitive to light and oxygen.

Both IBR-CLCÂ® and IBR-TCLCâ„¢ are suitable for use in anti-aging, UV-protection and personal care products. The colorless carotenoids were first runner-up for the Oscar awards in the category of innovative active ingredient for cosmetics announced at the 2005 Personal Care Ingredients Europe conference.

The product IBR-dorminÂ® has introduced a completely new approach toward maintaining youthful skin. The inspiration for this innovative anti-aging concept comes from nature: from the narcissus (see COSSMA 11/2005).

The narcissus spends the winter as a dormant bulb, and extracts of this bulb contain components that calm the cells of the skin (keratocytes and fibroblasts alike) and cause them to divide more slowly ? an effect that has been demonstrated in vitro by independent laboratories. While the skin may not lapse into dormancy, IBR-dorminÂ® does calm its cells, and the slower rate of division gives them more time to fully develop their protective functions. Skin that is protected and that takes more time for cell division stays younger longer. What that means is that IBR-dorminÂ® (Narcissus tazetta extract) is suitable for use in anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, personal care and after-sun products. This extract also happens to act as a whitening agent via yet another mechanism.

When tested on study participants, IBR-dorminÂ® had improved important skin characteristics within a few weeks, making the skin more elastic, taut and soft, while reducing its tendency to form wrinkles. These effects were also perceived by the study participants themselves.

IBR-CLC Â® and IBR-TCLCâ„¢ as well as IBR-dorminÂ® are all patented extracts developed by Israeli Biotechnology Research (IBR). Symrise owns the worldwide marketing rights for each of these active agents. “Besides the innovative research we conduct in our own laboratories, we are always open to cooperative efforts with outside research partners,â€ explains Dr. Joachim Röding, Symrise’ Vice President, Cosmetic Ingredients. “I think our new IBR products nicely demonstrate how successful this strategy has been.â€

Source: Symrise

2006/03/23:

Study: Wellness Market offers Growth opportunities

Key findings and highlights

Health and wellness increasingly involves a crossover with beauty. Over half (56%) of European and US consumers say that they â€˜consciously acted upon the link between diet and appearance’ noticeably more in 2005. This attitude is helping to drive the wellness trend
beyond food and drink and into the personal care industry.

Personal care occasions focusing on stress relief and pampering represent an important growth market. The combined value of such occasions in Europe and the US is forecast to approach US$6bn by 2010. This occasion growth is being driven by the mentality that it is
important to find ways to escape the pressures of everyday life.

Consumers are skeptical of health information and health claims, which acts as a barrier to growth. 78% of consumers believe â€˜product claims made by cosmetics and toiletries companies are often exaggerated’. In addition, 57% of respondents believe that â€˜the
technological advances and claims made by skincare companies are confusing’.

Source: Datamonitor

2006/03/17:

L'Oréal will acquire Body Shop

L’Oréal, the world’s leading cosmetics company, has reached

agreement with the board of The Body Shop International plc (“The Body Shopâ€) on the terms of a recommended cash offer to acquire the entire issued share capital of The Body Shop. The offer, at 300 pence per share, values The Body Shop’s issued share capital at approximately Â£652 million.

This offer represents a premium of 34.2% to The Body Shop’s closing mid market price of 223.5 pence per share on 21 February 2006, the last day prior to speculation of a possible bid for The Body Shop, and 31.5% over The Body Shop’s average share price of 228.2 pence per share for the six months up to and including 21 February 2006. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, The Body Shop is a successful cosmetics brand with strong growth potential, with 2,085 dedicated retail outlets in 54 countries. The Body Shop posted revenue of Â£419 million and retail sales in excess of Â£700 million in the year ending 26 February 2005. The Body Shop has acquired a strong reputation as a naturally-oriented brand with expertise in retail and deeply-rooted values.

L’Oréal’s worldwide perspective would complement The Body Shop’s distribution expertise, and The Body Shop would gain access to L’Oréal’s research and development and marketing know-how to enhance The Body Shop’s product offering. L’Oréal’s overall objective is to increase The Body Shop’s growth. The acquisition of The Body Shop would broaden L’Oréal’s existing portfolio, adding a complementary brand with a strong identity and values. L’Oréal is committed to preserving and upholding those values.

L’Oréal would develop The Body Shop brand as a standalone entity within the L’Oréal Group and The Body Shop’s dedicated retail network would continue to sell only The Body Shopbranded products. L’Oréal’s other brands would continue to be marketed through their existing distribution channels. L’Oréal wishes to continue to work with The Body Shop’s existing management team, reporting directly to CEO-Designate, Jean-Paul Agon. The Body Shop’s strong relations with employees, franchisees, The Body Shop At Home consultants and suppliers would be maintained.

Dame Anita Roddick will remain in her current role as a consultant to The Body Shop. In Clichy, Friday March 17th 2006, 8.00 a.m addition, Dame Anita Roddick has accepted L’Oréal’s invitation to become a consultant to L’Oréal to share her unique experience in Community Trade.

L’Oréal has received irrevocable undertakings to accept the offer from Dame Anita Roddick and Mr Gordon Roddick as well as from the other directors of The Body Shop. In addition, L’Oréal has been granted a call option that gives it the ability to require that the shares in which Mr Ian McGlinn is interested be tendered into the offer. These undertakings and the call option account together for approximately 42.6% of The Body Shop’s total issued share capital.

L’Oréal expects that the acquisition of The Body Shop would be EPS neutral in the financial year to 31 December 2006, and EPS accretive thereafter.

The offer is conditional upon receiving the required regulatory clearances.

Source: L'Oreal

2006/03/10:

EFfCI launches GMP Guide for Cosmetic Ingredients

EFfCI, the European Federation for Cosmetic Ingredients, which advocates the collective interests of European ingredient manufacturers and represents a significant part of this market, has just released its Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Guide for Cosmetic Ingredients.

The 28-page document is presently available in English.

Using previous ISO and IPEC (International Pharmaceutical Excipients Council) GMP guides as a reference, the EFfCI working group in charge has issued a framework which matches both the spirit of European cosmetics directives and the future cosmetic product GMP.

EFfCI thus fills a gap and aims at supplying a practical tool for GMP implementation and at facilitating quality and traceability process connections between ingredient producers and cosmetic manufacturers.

The GMP Guide for Cosmetic Ingredients, will be presented during In-Cosmetics in Barcelona and it will also be available at several EFfCI members' booths.

Source: Philippe Desquesnes for EFfCI

2006/03/08:

DSM launches 2 new products for PCIA

DSM Nutritional Products is pleased to announce the addition of two new products to the DSM portfolio for Personal Care.

The first product is PARSOLÂ® TX, a new microfine Titanium Dioxide which represents DSM’s first step of moving into the growing field of inorganic UV filters.

PARSOLÂ® TX offers significant improvement to in vivo SPF and the best flexibility in terms of formulation.

We also observed that it stabilizes our PARSOLÂ® 1789 (or BMDBM).

PARSOLÂ® TX also offers an additional benefit that some competitors can’t deliver: a genuine compatibility with our PARSOLÂ® 1789!

The second new product is ALL-Qâ„¢ plus, a cosmetic friendly product form of Coenzyme Q10.

ALL-Qâ„¢ plus comprises all the benefits Coenzyme Q10 is known for: antioxidant, energizer, wrinkle reduction, prevention of premature skin ageing. In addition, ALL-Qâ„¢ plus contains also Vitamin E, mirroring the naturally joint presence of Coenzyme Q10 and Vitamin E in skin. Together they form a powerful defence against oxidative stress.

ALL-Qâ„¢ plus offered as a liquid allows easy handling and dosing of Coenzyme Q10 at any concentration range.

Source: DSM

2006/03/07:

Laboratoires Sérobiologiques ? 60 years of innovation in cosmetics and wellness-oriented products

Laboratoires Sérobiologiques (LS), the active ingredients business of Cognis Care Chemicals, this year celebrates its 60th anniversary. Over this time, LS has introduced numerous important innovations for the cosmetics market. With 70 patents registered since 2000, more than 100 extracts screened each year and its sustainability-based approach, LS has confirmed its reputation as one of the leading specialist global suppliers of innovative cosmetic active ingredients. Today, LS employs around 100 people, and its products are distributed to 50 countries, spread all around the world and each served by a local organization, which understands the specific needs of its region.

LS is very conscious of the fast pace of change in the cosmetics market, and employs a multi-disciplinary research and development team of more than 40 specialists. “The research and technology department is the heartbeat of our business,â€ says Isabelle Benoit, Marketing Manager LS. “We look to the natural world for inspiration in developing innovative cosmetic active ingredients. This approach, key to serving current market trends and anticipating future developments, is conducted following the sustainability guidelines that have driven LS dynamics over the last years.â€ The development process includes fundamental and applied research, sourcing management, screening of new raw materials, and product efficacy testing, including the development of new measurement technologies. All of these stages are essential in the creation of innovative active ingredients.

The use of plants is done according to the LS philosophy of sustainability, and the requirement that sourcing should be carried out in an environmentally responsible manner compatible with socio-economic considerations. Since 2004, they have held ISO 9001:2000 and 14001 certification. To ensure the highest standards are maintained, product quality is monitored rigorously, and strict guidelines govern every stage of the production process, from receipt of raw materials through to the delivery of the finished product to the customer.

60 years experience of making active ingredients for cosmetics

LS was founded in 1946 by the biologist and pharmacist Dr. Georges Pauly, at ChÃ¢teau-Salins, 40 kilometres from the city of Nancy in eastern France. Pauly was interested in biological properties of various extracts, and of serum in particular, and this is the origin of the name “Sérobiologiquesâ€. The key event leading to the company’s decision to focus on cosmetology came in 1953, when Pauly met HélÃ¨na Rubinstein and they discussed the possible cosmetic applications of biological extracts. This ultimately resulted in the creation of “Skin Lifeâ€, a range of cosmetics incorporating a substantiated biological active. This innovation marked the first step towards cosmetic products that don’t just help women look good, but also have physiological benefits for the skin. One of the most recent breakthroughs in this area was the creation of the Active Powders range, a technology that for the first time allows hydrophilic actives to be incorporated in make-up formulations.

In 2001 LS was acquired by global specialty chemicals supplier Cognis. After the merger, LS was incorporated into Cognis Care Chemicals, the Strategic Business Unit which serves the cosmetics and toiletries markets. Comments Cognis CEO Antonio Trius: “The union has proven beneficial for all concerned. Both companies have continued to expand their expertise in working with natural raw materials, taking a sustainability-based approach and working in a customer-focused way that anticipates emerging market trends. The synergies between the two businesses, and a substantial investment program, have enabled LS to continue pushing back the frontiers of cosmetic science.â€

Source: Cognis

2006/03/07:

“Feelosophyâ€ is Cognis' understanding of wellness concepts

As life becomes ever more hectic and complex, consumers are constantly on the look-out for new ways to unwind. As a result, they want cosmetic products not only to deliver the functional benefits they promise, but also give them a sense of well-being, by offering a holistic product experience that appeals to all their senses. Drawing on its unique combination of competencies, Cognis Care Chemicals develops concepts and solutions that enable manufacturers to achieve just that. The approach of Cognis focuses on the main consumer demands in the context of well-being and centers on four key dimensions to achieve a holistic product experience: perception, feel, effect and usage. Cognis unveiled its new understanding of wellness at this year’s PCIA, under the name of “Feelosophyâ€.

The global wellness trend ? people’s increasing concern with their physical and mental well-being ? affects every area of our lives. But people’s understanding of what wellness means is becoming more sophisticated, and consumers are increasingly looking for cosmetic products that stimulate all of their senses. Cognis Care Chemicals provides product concepts that take into account various ways in which consumers experience a product. The Strategic Business Unit possesses the necessary competency building blocks to give formulators precise control over four key dimensions in a holistic product experience:

Perception: Cognis researches what consumers truly perceive ? even sometimes beyond what they can verbally describe. Under real application conditions, Cognis scientifically analyzes emotions using individual consumer test designs like objective emotional assessment and home use tests.

Feel: For more than 20 years, Cognis has been perfecting the method of sensory assessment and thus it understands what consumers actually feel on their skin and hair. Cognis closely studies the senses of sight, hearing and specifically touch, and utilizes this information when developing new ingredients and concepts.

Effect: Cognis’ active and performance ingredients and compounds deliver specific effects, which the company is able to prove scientifically. Cognis ensures their effectiveness on a high quality level by a specific selection of well-established and continuously developed methods.

Usage: Cognis provides a range of technologies for the personal and home care market that offer convenience benefits in consumers’ daily lives. These innovative technologies allow manufacturers to create products that are less complex, and easier and less time-consuming to use.

Major consumer demand in the wellness category include repair, stimulation, aging prevention, protection and safety. In the home care sector, the key demand is easy household. Cognis’ wellness-oriented product concepts are specifically designed to meet these demands. They make full use of the company’s competencies in areas such as formulation, and technology as well as performance know-how, are manufactured from natural raw materials, and are influenced by the Cognis’ years of marketing experience and awareness of consumer behavior across different markets.

Ready for the markets of the future

The proportion of income spent on wellness products is increasing constantly. In 1995, the global wellness market was worth 100 billion US dollars, by 2001 the figure had risen to more than 200 million dollars, and by 2010 it is expected to reach 1,000 billion dollars. “Products that offer a holistic experience and improve quality of life will be the main driver of growth in the cosmetic chemicals market of the future,â€ explains Bettina Jackwerth, Global Marketing Director Skin Care. “With our “Feelosophyâ€ we are prepared for consumers more ambitious expectations regarding home and personal care products: an all embracing product experience.â€

Source: Cognis

2006/03/07:

Cognis at the PCIA 2006: innovations for cosmetic products of tomorrow

At the tenth Personal Care Ingredients Asia (PCIA) trade show, in Seoul, South Korea, Cognis Care Chemicals and its active ingredients business Laboratoires Sérobiologiques (LS) exhibited a number of new products and concepts. Each was an example of Cognis’ belief that well-being products should provide a holistic experience incorporating four key dimensions: perception, feel, effect and usage. At its booth and in several lectures, the specialty chemicals supplier presented its innovative products and solutions, including EmulgadeÂ® NLB and CetiolÂ® CC, two elements in a new roll-on system; LamesoftÂ® Care, a multifunctional wax dispersion for skin and hair conditioning; PlantaponÂ® SF, an exceptionally mild surfactant blend for body cleansing; and two new actives for eye contour care: Eye ResolutionTM, which combats the bags that appear below eyes, and Active Powder Eye Light, which acts against the dark rings that can form around them.

Antiperspirants and deodorants are also becoming increasingly popular in Asia. If products are to be successful in this segment, they must of course combat body odor, but should also offer secondary benefits, such as skin care properties, reduced white residues, soothing natural ingredients and feeling pleasant on the skin, in order to differentiate themselves from the competition. Cognis has developed a range of innovative solutions for manufacturers of antiperspirants and deodorants, such as a new roll-on technology which exhibits excellent sensory acceptance, and optimized viscosity stability even at high temperatures. By combining the new EmulgadeÂ® NLB compound with the innovative high-spreading dry emollient CetiolÂ® CC (Dicaprylyl Carbonate), the sensory performance of the final formulation can be significantly improved. Cetiol CC is also suitable for use in aerosol systems, due to its very good perfume and propellant solubility.

On the occasion of the PCIA, Cognis introduced LamesoftÂ® Care, a unique multifunctional wax dispersion for skin and hair care which is an exceptionally powerful conditioning system. Due to its balanced blend of performance waxes and emollient, Lamesoft Care delivers perceivable conditioning effects for hair and excellent sensorial skin care properties in body wash products. In combination with cationic polymers the conditioning effects can be enhanced. This wax dispersion fits into marketing concepts for shampoo and shower products with white dense and elegant pearlshine effects.

Another new product exhibited first at the PCIA was PlantaponÂ® SF an exceptionally mild, ready-to-use surfactant base. Because of its natural ingredients, it is free of sulfate, ethylene oxide and preservatives and is ideal for the creation of new “green and mildâ€ body cleansers, facial washes and baby care concepts as well as professional shampoos. In addition to these excellent properties, Plantapon SF is a liquid which is easy to handle and cold processable.

LS also used this year’s PCIA to introduce its new Eye Line range, a selection of actives dedicated to eye contour care, each addressing a specific problem. LS’s new Eye ResolutionTM LS 9509 significantly reduces the volume of bags under the eyes, and makes the eyes look more youthful. This extract of Cecropia obtusa bark, a tree found in the Amazon region, can reduce fat deposits, and clinical tests have proven that it reduces the volume of bags under the eyes. Active Powder Eye Light LS 9792 specifically targets the dark rings that can appear around the eyes, by reducing capillary fragility and micro-circulation problems. Active Powder Eye Light LS 9792 is part of the Active Powders range ? an innovative technology which makes possible the incorporation of water-soluble active ingredients in anhydrous color cosmetic formulations ? and is thus suitable for under-eye concealers and eye shadow products. The efficacy of its synergistic complex of five plant extracts has been scientifically proven.

With Centella PrimasphereÂ® Cognis also presented a new product in its Primacare range. Cognis’ innovative microcapsules (Primasphere technology <0.1 mm) are filled with a high-purity extract of the centella asiatica plant. This microencapsulation improves the bioavailability (better penetration) and stability (long lasting effect) of the actives found in centella asiatica, which are extremely useful in stimulating collagen synthesis and fighting wrinkles and stretch marks. Centella Primasphere is suitable for body-shaping, anti-aging or calming gels and creams. Primacare is a range of patented chitosan-based products that can be used for different-sized delivery systems (with capsules ranging from a nanometer to a millimeter), suitable for incorporating high-efficacy ingredients that offer enhanced performance and support marketing claims into cosmetic formulations.

Three new products in Cognis’ botanicals range were launched at the show. HerbaliaÂ® Soy is a standardized extract on 40% isoflavones. Isoflavones is the name of a family of polyphenols which have powerful antioxidant effects, and so Herbalia Soy is an excellent active for preventing skin aging. HerbaliaÂ® Gingko CG helps to retard the physiological processes of aging in skin cells, enhances their regeneration and improves their ability to withstand oxidative and environmental stresses. It is double standardized on two important groups of active ingredients from Ginkgo leaves. The benefits of HerbaliaÂ® White Tea polyphenols (85% standardized) include stress relief, skin care and body firming. It is suitable for high-efficacy cosmetics products for face care, body care, sun care, hair care and cleansing applications. Thanks to an especially gentle, technologically innovative and validated process, Cognis’ botanicals are among the highest-quality plant extracts currently available.

Source: Cognis

2006/03/07:

Vit-A-Like ? a botanical alternative to retinol

People today are more concerned than ever before with looking and feeling young. Manufacturers who want to serve the growing market for anti-aging treatments need active ingredients which are effective and easy to work with at the same time. Laboratoires Sérobiologiques (LS), the active ingredients business of Cognis Care Chemicals, used this year’s PCIA in Seoul, Korea, to launch Vit-A-LikeTM LS 9737, an innovative active ingredient, proven to achieve a similar level of effectiveness to retinol ? the benchmark for anti-aging treatments ? without any of its drawbacks.

Retinol is a form of vitamin A, that has a proven effect on cell renewal. However, it is unstable and difficult to work with in cosmetic formulations, which complicates the manufacturing process and restricts the ways in which end products can be packaged. Moreover, retinol can cause irritation, and so is not suitable for use in sensitive skin formulations. To overcome these issues, LS has now developed a botanical alternative to retinol: Vit-A-Like LS 9737. This has a similar mechanism of action to retinol, and has been shown in tests to offer comparable performance, but with the decisive advantages that it also offers high levels of stability and skin tolerance.

Accelerated epidermal cellular turnover

Vit-A-Like LS 9737 is a multi-active anti-aging ingredient. The product has been shown to significantly accelerate the renewal of the epidermis by stimulating favorable growth factors causing epidermal cellular turnover, while its capacity to stimulate fibroblast collagen synthesis means it has a demonstrable anti-aging effect on the dermis. With its action on both epidermis and dermis, the new active represents a comprehensive anti-aging solution. It visibly improves skin texture, and gives it a youthful radiance. It is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin, and can be used in regenerative skin care preparations, anti-aging products, and skin care products specifically designed for mature skin, as well as body care applications.

Proven anti-wrinkle activity

A clinical test has demonstrated the benefits of Vit-A-Like LS 9737. After a two-month course of treatment, a cream containing five percent of the new active ingredient showed an anti-wrinkle efficacy in the crow’s foot area which was as good as that of the benchmark, a cream containing 2.5 percent encapsulated retinol. In vitro and in vivo tests have also proven the ingredient’s ability to stimulate epidermal cellular renewal, and dermal collagen synthesis.

Vit-A-Like LS 9737: responding to the needs of manufacturers and consumers Disguising, eliminating or preventing the signs of aging is the primary objective of many of today’s cosmetic products. Consumers are looking for beauty treatments that do more than just conceal the aging process, and can actually repair wrinkled skin. Cosmetics manufacturers, meanwhile, need ingredients with the efficacy to substantiate their marketing claims, and which offer ease of processing. “Thanks to our proprietary competencies in the fields of applied research, raw material screening and proof of efficacy, we are able to offer our customers in the cosmetics industry innovative ingredients with proven benefits,â€ comments Isabelle Benoit, Marketing Manager LS. “Vit-A-Like LS 9737 is an botanical alternative to retinol, offering superior stability and tolerability which will help our customers to succeed in their markets.“

Overview of technical data

INCI Name: Water (and) Glycerin (and) Vigna Aconitifolia Seed Extract (and) Sodium Citrate

Aspect: a yellow liquid with a characteristic odor

Dose of use: 3 to 5%

Solubility: soluble in water, insoluble in fats and oils

Source: Cognis

2006/03/03:

Personal care spending: US consumers go private

US consumers have increasingly been turning to private label consumer packaged goods in recent years, with growth in this market being driven by improved quality and an increasing desire among consumers to maximize

their household budgets. Furthermore, this trend in private label spending is set to continue. For example, spending in the private label personal care category totaled $5.5 million in 2005 and is forecast to rise to $7.4 million by 2010, giving a compound annual growth rate of 6.1% for the period.

Source:

Datamonitor, "How to Resist the Private Label Threat in 2006" (DMCM2380)

2006/03/03:

Cosmeceuticals: consumers wary of skincare product claims

The results of a survey conducted among US and European consumers in 2005 reveal that a significant majority of consumers believe the claims manufacturers make about their cosmeceutical skincare products are either

unclear or misleading. Just 17.6% of respondents said they thought the product manufacturers' claims were 'accurate', while a mere 3.3% thought the claims were 'very accurate'. In contrast, 15.4% of those surveyed said

they thought the claims were 'very misleading', while 36.3% of respondents dubbed the claims 'misleading' and 27.5% 'unclear'.

Source:

Datamonitor, "Building & Profiting From Consumers' Trust" (DMCM2381)

2006/03/03:

Eye make-up: French market an attractive proposition

France's eye make-up market looks set for growth in the next few years, as this market, which was estimated to be worth almost $551 million in 2004, is expected to reach a value of $693 million by 2009. This represents substantial compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7% for the 2004 to 2009 period. Value of France's eye make-up

market, 2004-09 ($ millions)

Source: Datamonitor, Interactive Consumer Database

2006/03/02

Famous Brands still attracting a premium

Datamonitor Analyst Matt Adams explains that despite the growing popularity of Private Label products, Famous Brands maintain a superior image in

categories where there is a high emotional involvement with the product.

them as individuals, such as alcoholic drinks and all types of personal care.

Male consumers expect to pay a greater price differential when trading up than is true of women. Female consumers consider themselves to be stronger

adherents of Famous Brands than men, but they also expect to pay less when they trade up form Private Label to Famous Brands.

Marketers must tailor communications to capture as much female spending as possible, especially in personal care where female Famous Brand penetration is high.

However, it is not all good news for Famous Brands, as 76% of UK consumers feel that a significant part of the higher prices of these labels results from higher advertising costs. Only one third of consumers have a closed mind about whether they will buy Private Label and Famous Brands before they enter a store, meaning two thirds of consumers are up for grabs - with Famous Brands or Private Label potentially able to profit from this

open-mindedness. However, if presented with a stock out situation, consumers are more likely to switch from Famous Brand to Private Label rather than the reverse.

Source: Datamonitor

2006/03/01:

L'Oréal subsidiary Episkin acquires Skinethic (tissue engineering)

Alternative Approaches to Safety Evaluation:“a top Priority for L’Oréalâ€

L’Oréal has today underlined its commitment to the further development of alternative methods for safety evaluation with the announcement that Episkin, a subsidiary of the group that is dedicated to the development of reconstructed skin, has acquired SkinEthic. SkinEthic, based in Nice, France, is expert in the field of tissue engineering, and its know-how will complement and widen the expertise that already exists within L’Oréal.

SkinEthic is an important worldwide player in the production and commercialisation of human epidermal and epithelial tissues (including epidermis, dermis, corneal, oral, gingival, oesophageal epithelium, alveolar and vaginal mucosa) for in vitro test applications across many industries.

L’Oréal’s ultimate goal is to develop a range of approaches and standardised in vitro methods that can be used to test ingredient safety and shared across a number of industry sectors; with the aim of accelerating the elimination of animal testing. The complimentary nature of Episkin and SkinEthic allows L’Oréal to further advance its commitment to the development of alternative methods for the safety assessment of product ingredients.

L’Oréal supports the objective of the elimination of laboratory animal testing and is working on various alternative methods that must be validated by competent scientific authorities.

L’Oréal has been committed to the development of alternative approaches for more than twenty years and has already contributed to successful scientific validations together with ECVAM (European Centre for Validation of Alternative Methods). The company has not carried out or commissioned tests of products on animals since 1989.

Source: L'Oréal

News February 2006

2006/02/27:

Ten Cate Plasticum to be sold to private equity company NPM Capital

Royal Ten Cate and NPM Capital announce that they have reached an agreement in principle regarding the sale of Ten Cate Plasticum (the Netherlands, Germany and UK) to NPM Capital and the management. The divestment will take place approximately against book value. The company is part of the sector Technical Components. It is expected that the transaction will be completed in March 2006.

Plasticum produces plastic moulded packaging for consumer products, among others for A-brands in personal care, food and household products. The company employs some 200 people. Plasticum has annual revenues of approximately € 36 million, whereby growth has been established in the past years in the field of innovative and tailor made packaging concepts. As a result, the quality of the results has been gradually improved and the company has good prospects for the future.

Strategy of Ten Cate

Ten Cate has announced earlier the divestment policy of all companies in the sector Technical Components. Plasticum is the second divestment within this sector so far. At the same time the so called Buy & Build strategy is communicated, which means the strengthening of the strategic basis of Ten Cate and the acquisition of companies within the growth markets for protective fabrics, aerospace composites, armour composites, synthetic grass and geosynthetics.

NPM Capital

NMP Capital is focussed on the Dutch corporate sector, in particular companies which are successfully managed by entrepreneurial managers. Often these companies are leaders in their (niche)markets or have the potential to become market leaders. At present NPM Capital has a portfolio of 80 participations, of which 70 based in the Netherlands.

Sources: Royal Ten Cate, NPM Capital

2006/02/24

L'Oréal to buy Body Shop?

L’Oréal notes the recent movement in Body Shop International Plc’s ("Body Shop") share price.

L’Oréal’s management is continually evaluating a wide range of strategic alternatives that may add value to its shareholders including a possible offer for Body Shop. However, no decision has been made regarding any offer, L’Oréal Board has not been consulted and no approach has been made to Body Shop.

"This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, L'Oréal shares. If you wish to obtain more information about L’Oréal, please refer to the public documents registered in France with the Autorité des Marchés Financiers which are also available in English on the company's Internet site: www.loreal-finance.com.

This news release may contain some forward-looking statements. Although the Company considers that these statements are based on reasonable hypotheses at the date of publication of this release, they are by their nature subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated or projected in these statements."

Source: L'Oréal

2006/02/22

Croda Personal Care adds new UV sunscreen to its portfolio

Croda Personal Care says it has signed an exclusive agreement with Oxonica plc, a leading European technology group, to distribute Oxonica’s Optisolâ„¢ photostable UV absorber into the international personal care market.

Croda will provide its sales channels and technical expertise to broaden the commercialization of Optisolâ„¢ across a wider customer base, with an initial focus on the Americas, Europe and Australia. Oxonica will work closely with Croda to provide technical and product development support, while Croda’s global marketing network will allow a greater market penetration of the innovative ingredient.

Optisolâ„¢ was launched in 2004, and is already incorporated within the Boots own-brand Soltan Facial range. Over 2005 Oxonica has focused on increasing the awareness of Optisolâ„¢ within the major cosmetic houses, and has achieved several successful evaluations as well as a nomination for “best new technologyâ€ at the HBA awards ceremony in New York in September 2005. The partnership with Croda is geared towards crystallizing some of these early evaluations.

The development of the UV filter is aimed at international cosmetics companies looking to enhance both the UVA and UVB sunscreen effectiveness of formulations. With consumers becoming increasingly aware of the need for multi-functional suncare products such as cosmetics offering additional UV protection, Optisolâ„¢ is also said to have applications in anti-aging products and general cosmetics.

Dr Keith Layden, President of Enterprise Technology at Croda said:

“Croda has been supplying high quality speciality chemicals to the personal care market for over 80 years and the company's focus has been on the development of ever more sophisticated ingredients and actives covering all aspects of personal care. The addition of Optisolâ„¢ to our portfolio will allow us to offer our customers ground-breaking improvements in the performance of sunscreens, skincare and cosmetics.â€

Dr Kevin Matthews, Oxonica’s CEO, said:

“Oxonica is delighted to announce its commercial partnership with Croda, in a deal that makes Optisolâ„¢ available to the global cosmetics market worldwide. At our admission to AIM in July we said we would look for partner relationships to broaden our marketing and sales outlets and this agreement with Croda successfully demonstrates that strategy.â€

David Browning, Business Director responsible for the commercialization of Optisolâ„¢, commented:

“The technology was developed in association with the University of Oxford. Optisolâ„¢ improves protection against exposure to sunlight and its unique technology acts to stabilise formulations and components, including vitamins and plant extracts, in a wide variety of cosmetics.â€

Source: Croda USA

2006/02/20:

Henkel to acquire leading P&G deodorant brands in the USA

The Dial Corporation, a company of the Henkel Group, signed an agreement to acquire several well-known and successful body care brands from Procter & Gamble. Sales in 2005 of these brands amounted to about 275 million US dollars.

The Dial Corporation, Scottsdale and The Gillette Company, a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble, signed a definitive agreement on February 20, 2006, under which Dial will acquire several strong antiperspirant/deodorant brands. These very well-known brands include Right Guard, Soft & Dri and Dry Idea, which Procter & Gamble was required to divest as part of the FTC Consent Decree related to the Procter & Gamble/Gillette merger. The purchase price amounts to about 420 million US dollars.

Closing of this transaction, which is still subject to customary approval from the antitrust authorities, is expected before the end of the first quarter of 2006.

"These leading brands are a perfect fit to our core business body care and will further increase growth and profitability of this business," says Hans Van Bylen, Executive Vice President of Henkel Cosmetics/Toiletries. "We are excited to become the number 3 in the attractive U.S. deodorants market through this acquisition, thus complementing the strong Dial portfolio."

The brands that are to be acquired realize 80 percent of their sales in North America, the rest mainly in United Kingdom. A smaller share of sales is realized in Latin America and Australia.

Source: Henkel

2006/02/14:

TAN*BIZ now in seven countries- French version of the business magazine

Publishing house Health and Beauty Business Media announced with pride that the TAN*BIZ Family has a brand new member: TAN*BIZ France will first be published in April 2006.

The country, which has suffered from anti-tanning government campaigns for many years, will have its own business magazine to support the tanning industry from April 2006. It joins sister TAN*BIZ publications in the UK, Benelux, Germany, Poland, Italy and Spain. The French edition will have four issues per year, initially.

Same concept

The concept of the French version of the magazine will be the same as for the other own-language editions of TAN*BIZ: market info is collected and presented in an independent editorial way. Industry information, international news, market overviews, interviews, articles about regulations, trade show reports and information about connected wellness markets like beauty, fitness and spa will be written by a French editor. Combined with articles about management and marketing and drawing on the knowledge of the international editorial TAN*BIZ team, TAN*BIZ France (appearing 4 times in 2006) will be a real addition to the market.

What’s it in for you?

Because of the expansion of the international team with an editor in France, the information flow from France will be quicker and better. This is the country in which the modern fashion for tanned skin originally started, and with its strong history of aesthetics, it is certainly a part of the European tanning market. We will keep you posted about interesting developments!

Click here to get your free-of-charge sample copy of Tan*Biz magazine

2006/02/13:

Mibelle Launches New Active Principles for Soothing and Rejuvenation

Mibelle AG Biochemistry ? a Swiss Company specialized in research and development of active ingredients ? launches AquaCacteen ? an ultra-refined cactus elixir for sensitive and dry skin PerfectionPeptide P3 ? a biomimetic peeling active activity for skin rejuvenation.

AquaCacteen ? an ultra-refined cactus elixir for sensitive and dry skin

The pads of the cactus Opuntia are known as nopales and are used in Mexico as dietary supplement to promote weight loss and as medicine to treat inflammation and pain. The cosmetic ingredient AquaCacteen contains purified components of the Opuntia cactus which provide long-lasting hydration to skin even in rinse-off applications. AquaCacteen also has remarkable soothing properties which could be shown in a fascinating cell culture system with nerve cells. AquaCacteen was found to inhibit the depolarisation of sensory nerve cells upon stress. AquaCacteen can be used in sun care products and skin care products to:

Soothe sensitive and dry skin
Hydrate deeply and long-lasting
Repair and regenerate
Protect from environmental stress factors

PerfectionPeptide P3 - a biomimetic peeling active for skin rejuvenation

An important process in aged skin is desquamation, which is the shedding of dead stratum corneum cells. Desquamation is part of the continuous renewal of the epidermis. PerfectionPeptide P3 is a tri-peptide that stimulates natural desquamation in aged skin where this process is reduced and inhomogeneous leading to a longer epidermal turnover time and to dry, scaly and uneven skin. PerfectionPeptide P3 provides a biomimetic peeling effect without disrupting the skin barrier causing irritations such as with chemical peels.

PerfectionPeptide P3 provides the following benefits:

â€¢ Rejuvenates the skin by improving desquamation

â€¢ Smoothes and evens the skin

â€¢ Improves the texture of sun-damaged skin

Source: Mibelle

2006/02/13:

Cognis Innovation Award for anti-pollution purifying active ingredients for skin and hair

Environmental pollution and its effects on the human body are never out of the news. And as a result, the personal care market is always looking for natural-source products that combine new product benefits like protection against environmental stress with improved performance. Already in 2003, Cognis’ Laboratoires Sérobiologiques team developed PuricareTM and PurisoftTM, two innovative active ingredients based on botanical peptides from the seeds of the Moringa tree, that purify hair and skin, and offer protection against the effects of pollution. In recognition of the success of Puricare and Purisoft in the market, Cognis has rewarded the staff responsible for its development by giving them its Innovation Award 2005.

Traditionally, creating skin and hair care products that offer protection against the full array of environmental stress has meant combining a number of ingredients, e.g. antioxidants or surface film formers. However, this approach has several drawbacks ? a complex formulation process and high costs. In Purisoft for skin and Puricare for hair Cognis has developed two different two-in-one active ingredients from the seeds of the African plant Moringa oleifera, which enable formulators to create products with outstanding cosmetic effects.

“Miracle treeâ€ protects against environmental pollution

Moringa oleifera is a tree native to India, and cultivated in tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world. It is considered a "miracle tree" because all its various parts ? leaves, flowers, fruits, wood and seeds ? have useful pharmacological and nutritional properties. Due to its capability to transform turbid water into drinking water Moringa oleifera saves thousands of lives. Laboratoires Sérobiologiques has carried out an extensive research program to explore the potential benefits of the tree for cosmetic applications. Proteins isolated from its seeds have shown very interesting properties, due to their low molecular weight and their cationic behavior.

Purisoftâ€˜s purifying/protective double action, working on both the surface of the skin and at the cell level, has been demonstrated in a series of in vitro and in vivo tests. Studies have shown that urban pollution can cause significant damage to the feel and physical structure of the hair, but Puricare can prevent this damage and keep hair clean by inhibiting the adhesion of particulate pollution to the hair. In the same way, it also prevents the smell of cigarette smoke sticking on the hair.

Innovations inspired by nature

Because Puricare and Purisoft are natural-source ingredients, the products that incorporate them feel more pleasant on the skin, and have greater appeal to the growing number of consumers interested in high-quality natural cosmetics. The use of Moringa seeds is also in line with Cognis’ general philosophy of sustainability: it represents a commitment by Cognis to the local communities and farming cooperatives in Africa who cultivate the tree, meaning that the people who originally inspired Cognis to explore this technology get to share in its long-term economic and social benefits. Comments team member Isabelle Stussi, Product Manager at LS: “Natural care ingredients are gaining market share because their health and protective benefits meet consumer demand for products that make a positive contribution to wellness. In Puricare and Purisoft we are offering cosmetic manufacturers two natural active ingredients which adds genuine value, proven in extensive testing. This enables our customers to differentiate themselves from their competitors with innovative marketing claims that respond to the needs of consumers.â€

The Cognis Innovation Award

Global specialty chemicals company Cognis believes innovation is the key to the long-term success of any business, and it was this insight that led to the creation of the company’s annual Innovation Award in 2001. The award recognizes the success of teams that have achieved outstanding results for Cognis and its customers through their performance, commitment and creativity. In 2005, two teams were decorated with the award, one being the team responsible for the Puricare/Purisoft project, the other being a team that has been working to improve production processes for environmantally friendly solvents.

Source: Cognis

2006/02/10:

Degussa Acquires Superabsorbent Business from Dow

Degussa AG, Dusseldorf, is acquiring the superabsorbent business of The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI, USA. The Parties agreed not to disclose financial terms of the transaction. The agreement involves the acquisition of Dow’s superabsorbent facility in Rheinmuenster/Baden-Baden, Germany and a toll manufacturing arrangement with Dow’s superabsorbent facility in Midland. In addition, Degussa and Dow will enter into a long term agreement for Dow to supply glacial acrylic acid to Degussa with opportunities for future growth of this volume over time. Glacial acrylic acid is the most important raw material used in the manufacture of superabsorbent polymers. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals.

“The market for superabsorbents has been growing significantly in the recent past. The development in Eastern Europe and Latin America is particularly promisingâ€, says Gunther Wittmer, President of the Degussa Business Unit Superabsorber.

As part of the agreement, Degussa will gain Dow’s worldwide existing superabsorbent business. The acquisition, combined with a debottlenecking at Degussa’s facilities in Garyville, LA, Greensboro, NC, as well as capital investments at the new Rheinmuenster facility, will result in a considerable expansion of Degussa’s present global superabsorbent manufacturing capacity. The conclusion of the long-term glacial acrylic acid agreement secures upstream integration also for the new capacities in Europe and NAFTA for Degussa. This has become increasingly important in light of fluctuations in the availability of raw material.

Superabsorbents excel through their extreme absorbency and high-capacity fluid storage. They are used in products such as baby diapers and feminine and adult hygiene articles.

Source: degussa

2006/02/10:

Combined print and online advertising increases effectiveness of campaigns

The Interactive Advertising Bureau recently conducted a study to check the effectiveness of different advertising channels. The Cross Media Optimization Study (XMOS) answers the question “What is the optimal media mix to achieve marketing goals?â€ Using a research methodology endorsed by the Advertising Research Foundation and recognized by ESOMAR (European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research), the XMOS study measures online advertising alongside offline advertising to determine the optimal mix and weight of each medium.

In the campaign examined, Kimberly-Clark introduced the Kleenex Soft

Pack with television, print, and online advertising. The objective of the campaign was to build awareness and drive trial. The target group were

previously hard-to-reach consumers. Kimberly-Clark wanted to measure the ability of online advertising to reach segments of their target market that their television and print ads just were not covering.

The company allocated 75% of its overall advertising dollars to television, 23% to print, and 2% to online. Then they analyzed each medium’s effectiveness in boosting aided brand awareness, brand image, purchase intent, and bundled trial intent.

The result: The synergy of magazine and online advertising was the most effective combination for reaching this audience and boosting major key metrics including aided brand awareness, brand image, bundled trail intent and purchase intent.

As an integral part of the overall media mix, online advertising could potentially deliver 26% of the target market for Kleenex Soft Packs.Online significantly increases reach over using print alone.

Click here to check the COSSMA Online-Print-Combination advertising packages

Source: IAB

2006/02/09

Pentapharm wins Swiss Technology Award with anti-wrinkle peptide

Pentapharm has won the Swiss Technology Award 2006 with its new active ingredient SYNÂ®-AKE, the anti-wrinkle synthetic peptide that mimics the effect of the snake venom peptide Waglerin-1 (see also COSSMA 04/2005 and COSSMA 12/2005). The SYNÂ®-AKE project team has been especially granted for its expertise in peptide synthesis, snake venom protein research, innovative cosmetic application as well as professional marketing. SYNÂ®-AKE is a new anti-wrinkle active compound based on a synthetic tripeptide that mimics the effect of Waglerin-1, a peptide that is found in the venom of the Temple Viper, Tropidolaemus wagleri. PENTAPHARM has developed, during the past 30 years, a unique approach for the breeding and housing of venomous snakes and particularly the Brazilian Lance Adder Bothrops moojeni whose venom is used for therapeutic (anticoagulants,haemostatics) and diagnostic products. Currently, some 10,000 specimens of this snake species are bred and housed at PENTAPHARM DO BRASIL, making PENTAPHARM the largest snake breeder and keeper in the world. The long experience of PENTAPHARM in snake venom research has made possible the investigation of venom’ peptides for cosmetic applications.

The first focus has been the investigation of the Temple Viper’s venom. Waglerin-1, a protein contained in the venom of the snake Tropidolaemus wagleri, has the property of blocking neuromuscular contraction. Following extensive wide screening, the development of a synthetic peptide that mimics the activity of the selected protein has been made possible. SYNÂ®-AKE is offered as a glycerine-based aqueous solution. In-vitro tests have shown that SYNÂ®-AKE significantly reduces the frequency of contraction of innervated muscle cells as a function of the incubation time. In-vivo tests show the excellent anti-wrinkle activity of SYNÂ®-AKE.

2006/02/09

Indena and Kanebo Cosmetics present olive fruit extract

An olive fruit extract, which will help keep skin looking beautiful as well as healthy inside and out, has been studied jointly by the Italian company Indena and the Japanese Kanebo Cosmetics Inc. Five years of co-research and close cooperation have brought about the development and commercialization of OPEXTAN.

The olive varieties were screened and selected by Indena, whose botanists pinpointed the best harvesting period and methods to ensure the highest levels of verbascoside and other polyphenols. Indena also managed the process of industrialization, whilst the final efficacy trials were conducted by Kanebo Cosmetics. "Preclinical and clinical evidence of its free radical scavenging capacity was obtained successfully in our laboratories " - declared Dr. Takeshi Ikemoto, the Kanebo Research and Development Manager. "The link between skin dryness and blood glucose levels, also balanced by OPEXTANTM, was investigated together with Japanese researchers in the Tohoku University, Miyagi."

One of the most characteristic olive polyphenols, Verbascoside, has been used as the reference compound in the manufacture of OPEXTANTM. It exerts a free radical scavenging activity which has a direct impact on skin health, preventing oxidative damage associated with wrinkle formation, skin thinning and dehydration. Patents on the OPEXTANTM based composition activity have been filed jointly by Indena and Kanebo Cosmetics: they claim the activity of the novel composition on UV damage, wrinkle formation and hair tonic.

Indena will promote OPEXTAN worldwide apart from in Japan, where it is already marketed under the newly launched cosmetic and supplement line "Bella Vita".

2006/02/08

Gourmet Cosmetics - from food to cosmetics

More and more edibles "travel" from food to cosmetics: There is "Mousse au Make Up", "Body Butter", creams with olive oil, chocolate fragranced shower gel or perfumes packed in a milk bottle.This applies to actives, textures, fragrancing as well as to packaging: "Gourmet Cosmetics" are a strong product trend. Reason enough for the COSSMA team to deal with this topic, and we are confident that you will support us with some information: If you are a supplier of actives, ingredients, fragrances or packaging and your products are suitable for this type of product -

Click here and send us your product information

2006/02/02

Henkel delivers strong 2005

The Henkel Group's results for fiscal 2005 substantially exceeded the previous year's, with sales up 13.0 percent and comparable operating profit (EBIT) increasing 16.7 percent. Henkel's free cash flow also significantly improved to 684 million euros. The group financial statements have already been audited. Laundry & Home Care sales rose 13.0 percent above the previous year to 4,088 million euros. Organic growth was 3.0 percent. Operating profit increased to 433 million euros, or 23.7 percent above the comparable 2004 level. Cosmetics/Toiletries sales increased 6.2 percent to 2,629 million euros. Organic growth was 1.3 percent. Operating profit improved 10.5 percent above the comparable prior-year figure, to 321 million euros. The Henkel Group expects a slight improvement in the underlying market conditions and intends again to grow faster than the relevant markets in 2006.

Source: Henkel

2006/02/01

in-cosmetics Barcelona will be the biggest ever

From April 4-6, the global cosmetics industry will be gathering at Montjuic 1 in Barcelona, Spain for in-cosmetics 2006. The exhibition stand space is expected to be over 6,400mÂ², a staggering 50% increase on the previous show in Spain in 2000 and a 24% increase on in-cosmetics Berlin 2005. Among the 354 companies that have booked so far, over 40 will be exhibiting for the first time and the show welcomes back some major industry players (Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Degussa, Laboratoires Seriobiologiquesâ€¦).

Three exciting new features

Not only is in-cosmetics 2006 attracting more exhibitors, the show will also introduce 3 exciting new features to offer its audience an action packed programmeâ€¦.

in-cosmetics launches in-focus

in-cosmetics will launch “in-focusâ€, a new feature bringing creative and strategic insights into the hottest topics in the Beauty industry. Each year, in-focus will bring together the best marketing and scientific experts on a specific theme, to give visitors the condensed knowledge and expertise to drive product development in the right direction. in-focus will consist of a special dedicated area with exclusive showcases on new ingredients, new technologies and application concepts along with a comprehensive conference programme bringing top specialists together to develop key insights into the related topics.

For its first edition, in-focus turns the spotlight on Amazonia and invites the visitors to a unique sensorial and scientific experience, a dive into the richest naturals resources of all: Brazil and the Amazonian forest. The names ring like a myth and crystallize all the strategic issues of the natural theme in cosmetics: finding original plants and developing new active molecules, generating a sustainable ethic in R&D, exploring the value of exoticism and global culture in cosmetics, building up the holistic approach to beauty and well-being.

Over the past 5 years, in-cosmetics has been running its highly successful Marketing Trends Presentations which take place on all three days of the show. The Presentations have attracted enormous response from both visitors and exhibitors and have expanded each year to meet growing demand for high quality information and analysis of industry issues. Entry to all presentations is free of charge and pre-booking is available to pre-registered visitors. The 2006 programme will focus on “Targeting teenagers and consumers over 50â€ (Diametric, Yin Group, Beiersdorf), “Product innovation in formulationsâ€ (Mintel, Kline), “Global Trendsâ€ (Euromonitor International, Datamonitor), “The Russian cosmetics market / profile of the Russian consumerâ€ (Cosmetics Market Today) and “Natural/organic beauty productsâ€ (Pearlfisher, Euromonitor International, Phyto Trade Africa). On 5 April, the major European organizations concerned with the certification of natural/organic cosmetics (Soil Association ? UK, Ecocer ? France, BdiH ? Germany, AIAB ? Italy) will gather for a 1-hour round table discussion of their activities towards European Harmonization and current issuers on natural/organic cosmetics. Prior to the show, visitors will have the opportunity to post questions via the in-cosmetics website. All questions will help steer the direction of the discussion.

The Innovations Seminars (sponsored by COSSMA magazine), presented by exhibitors, will be another highlight of the show and will help visitors with the practical and commercial applications of products and services. The list of participants includes Amcol, Atrium Biotechnologies, Bioflavon, Centre Européen des Silicones, Chemyunion, Ciba Specialty Chemicals, CP Kelco, Dow Chemical, Dow Corning, Dow Dispersion Sciences, DSM Nutrional Products, Eco-Oil Argentina, ESK, International Specialty Products, Kalichem Italia Srl, Lipotec, Lonza, Nalco Company, Nikko Chemicals, Noveon, Pentapharm, Orafti, Power Paper, Regeron Inc, Rhodia Novecare, Rohm and Haas, Sabinsa, Seppic, Silab, Showa Denko K.K., Thor Especialides, TNO, Uniqema and Vincience.

in-cosmetics “Fiestaâ€

The in-cosmetics “Fiestaâ€ will take place at 18:30 on 5 April in the main catering area of Hall 8. All visitors & exhibitors are invited to celebrate with the winners of the 5K Run/Walk, relax with colleagues and experience Latin entertainment and delicacies!

Source: in-cosmetics

News January 2006

2006/01/31:

Seppic launches new tightening agent Sesaflash

SEPPIC introduces SESAFLASHâ„¢ , a new generation tightening agent. SESAFLASHâ„¢ is a patented molecular active ingredient combination containing sesame to instantly and visibly smooth the skin. Besides the tightening effect experienced by volunteers and visible wrinkle smoothing in five minutes, SESAFLASHâ„¢ has the true “plusâ€ of incorporating an effective long lasting hydrating effect. In vivo studies substantiate the tightening action, wrinkle releasing effect, sensorial experience, and moisturization level. SESAFLASHâ„¢ can be used at 5-10% in all types of applications where smoothing, tightening, firming, anti-aging, or moisturizing properties are sought. It is an ideal complement to a long term anti-aging active ingredient such as DEEPALINEâ„¢ PVB (INCI: Palmitoyl hydrolyzed wheat protein) and SEPILIFTâ„¢ DPHP (INCI: Dipalmitoyl hydroxyproline).

Source: Seppic

2006/01/27:

Successful start-up of new world scale plant for UvinulÂ® A Plus

Smooth operations after pilot phase;

First product batches launched on the market

A new world scale plant for the manufacture of UvinulÂ® A Plus, an innovative UVA filter, has been started up successfully at BASF’s site in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

“The plant is based on an innovative process technology that has been tailor-made for this specific productâ€, says Dr. Martin Schmidt-Radde, Director Production Fine Chemicals. "The specific properties of the starting materials, intermediates and final product presented the development team with a number of new challenges which they mastered to perfection, giving a process that produces consistently high-quality UvinulÂ® Plus."

UvinulÂ® A Plus displays superior UVA protection as a result of its enhanced photostability compared with conventional organic UVA filters. UVA rays are absorbed and converted into thermal energy before they can penetrate the skin at depth. Additionally, the high compatibility of UvinulÂ® A Plus with other UV filters and cosmetic ingredients offers an excellent level of formulation flexibility. “Our customers can now combine modern broadband UV protection with individual daily skincareâ€, says Dr. Thomas Saupe, Head of Global Business Unit Cosmetic Solutions within the Fine Chemicals Division.

“Following the launch of T-Liteâ„¢ and Z-COTEÂ® MAX, UvinulÂ® A Plus is the perfect addition to our UV product portfolio,â€ says Saupe. The European Commission approved UvinulÂ® A Plus for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations of up to 10% in January 2005 .

Source: BASF

2006/01/26:

Engelhard Launches New Technology for a Faster, Tanned Look

for All Skin Types

Engelhard Corporation has launched new personal care materials that enable a healthy-looking, tanned appearance for all skin types in as little as one minute.

Engelhard Quicksunâ„¢ Clear and Quicksunâ„¢ Matte extracts for fair to dark complexions, respectively, are gels that boost natural golden looks without the dangers associated with sun exposure. The gels do not contain a sunscreen. Tan intensity is adjustable according to the number of applications while skin stays well-moisturized.

Engelhard markets these materials to cosmetic and personal care companies for formulation into their products.

"Sun-care products have a stronghold in the beauty market because of a general trend to associate tanned, smooth skin with good health, happiness and even power," said Bethsabee Coutaz, Engelhard's marketing manager, personal care materials. "Our Quicksun product line is exciting and unique. As a fast-acting, pleasure cosmetic, it offers users many important advantages and fun choices to incorporate into their skin- care regimens."

Not a self-tanner and yet more than make-up, Quicksun gives users an instant glow that looks absolutely natural for their particular skin type. The special ingredients in Quicksun Clear, including chicory and muirapuima plant extracts, impart a light golden tan look to fair skin, while components in Quicksun Matte, including chicory and gymnema plant extracts, leave skin with a rich darker glow. Quicksun is easily removed with water.

Engelhard's comprehensive approach to personal care materials is built on innovative science that helps create beauty. Engelhard develops active ingredients that address the stresses of time, environment and lifestyle that negatively affect skin such as sun exposure, dryness and aging. These innovative ingredients are supplemented with aesthetic enhancers, preservatives and pigments to provide a single source for personal care and cosmetic formulation needs.

Through its recent acquisition of Coletica, S.A. and The Collaborative Group, Ltd., Engelhard is now also a leading global supplier of materials technology to the cosmetic and personal care industries.

Engelhard Corporation is a surface and materials science company that develops technologies to improve customers' products and processes. A Fortune 500 company, Engelhard is a world-leading provider of technologies for environmental, process, appearance and performance applications.

Source: Engelhard Corp.

2006/01/25:

Rexam to acquire Chinese beauty packaging company

Rexam announced today that it has agreed to acquire FangXin Limited's beauty packaging business (FangXin) based in China for a cash consideration of US$74m (Â£42m) including borrowings assumed. The acquisition is expected to be earnings enhancing from the outset. The transaction is expected to complete within the first quarter of 2006.

FangXin manufactures lipstick cases, compacts and pumps as well as mascara cases. In the last four years, its sales have grown at a compound growth rate of about 30% per annum. Since 2003, FangXin has invested heavily in new facilities and has the capacity to further increase sales. In 2005, it is estimated that FangXin broke even on sales of US$33m (Â£19m) and, at year end, had net operating assets of US$69m (Â£39m).

Rexam has had a presence in China since 1998, where, following the acquisition, it will have nine Plastic Packaging plants serving the beauty industry and one beverage can plant.

Commenting on the acquisition, Lars Emilson, Rexam's Chief Executive said: "This is a further step in the execution of our strategy to expand in plastic packaging. The Chinese beauty packaging industry is becoming increasingly important globally. The acquisition of this well invested company broadens our product range and provides us with new capabilities that will further improve our customer offering

Source: Rexam

2006/01/24:

New Gaultier deodorant packaged in a Boxal aluminium container

Beauté Prestige International (division of Shiseido Group ) distributes the new luxury deodorant GaultierÂ² named after the famous Â« haute couture Â» star . This product is filled by Shiseido in an embossed Boxal aluminum container. Another innovative alternative for perfumes and luxury goods packaging.

The Boxal exclusive and patented concept See&Feel is again the perfect response to market needs with this 45x125 mm , 100 ml monobloc aluminium container. High profile presentation with sober grahics and perfect counterfeit protection, this new package creates maximum shelf appeal.

The aluminium monobloc container is embossed with a process enabling sharp designs and allowing most of the cylindrical surface to be customized.

Manufactured in the french site of Beaurepaire, this customized container is a good example of Boxal know-how helping world brands to stand out. Filled within the Shiseido group and distributed world wide by Beauté Prestige International this innovation is a key to the success.

Source: Boxal

2006/01/19:

New â€˜curl memory’ styling agent launched by Croda

MiruStyle CP is a curl perfecting styling agent specially designed to put the spring factor into curls, says Croda Personal Care. Delivering exceptional curl memory benefits MiruStyle CP is said to hold high energy, frizz-free styles for longer. In tests the new styling polymer, a quaternary modified cellulose derivative, outperformed other commonly used styling ingredients in terms of curl retention, curl flexibility, and frizz control. Further sensory evaluations found that MiruStyle CP provided a non-crispy, touchable hold without dulling or flaking. Recommended for leave-on styling products and conditioning rinses, MiruStyle CP is the latest addition to the company’s range of novel styling ingredients.

In performance evaluations MiruStyle CP was proven to display superior curl memory benefits compared with commonly used styling agents, maintaining 84% curl memory after a series of 50 controlled extensions. To evaluate curl retention under dynamic conditions, Croda used the â€˜Head Banger’ test to compare polymer performance. This method utilises a mannequin head and compares the curl retention properties of polymers after the head has been shaken. Each half of the head is styled in exactly the same way but with different polymers. MiruStyle CP was shown to deliver excellent moveable hold, the company claims.

Curl compression studies further proved the superior hold flexibility of the new styling polymer, with MiruStyle CP scoring highest on resistance to deformation after 20 compressions. In all tests MiruStyle CP was compared against Polyimide-1, Poyurethane-14 and AMP acrylates copolymer, PVP K-30, and PVP/VA copolymer.

MiruStyle CP is suitable for cold mix systems with no neutralisation required. It is water soluble and soluble in aqueous alcoholic systems up to 90% alcohol. Displaying excellent temperature and pH tolerance and unaffected by electrolytes, MiruStyle CP also forms clear gels with most commonly used gelling agents.

Source: Croda

2006/01/16:

Indena moves Fluid Extract lines to Greentech

The Italian Group Indena, world leader in the identification, development and production of active principles derived from plants, has disclosed today a preliminary agreement to transfer its cosmetic fluid extract lines, including the well known brands PHYTELENESÂ® and COSMELENEÂ®, to the French phytocosmetic specialists Greentech S.A.The deal follows on from Indena’s decision to focus its cosmetic sector resources, on the development of highly purified active principles and on standardized dry extracts. These may be either for topical or oral use and are fruit of Indena research work often in collaboration with leading cosmetic companies.The agreement allows Greentech S.A., which has long been operating in the extract and active ingredient markets, to pursue further development, enrich its product range, and to create and strengthen partnerships both in France and elsewhere. A new purpose-built production facility is under construction. Later in the year, Indena and Greentech S.A. will be taking part in two of the most important international sector trade fairs, In?Cosmetics and Ingredients Beyond Beauty.The final agreement will be signed by February 15th, 2006.

Sources: Greentech, Indena

2006/01/13:

Symrise acquires Kaden Biochemicals

The spectrum of Kaden’s services is an ideal complement to the Symrise portfolio; new presence on the dynamic nutraceuticals market

Symrise is expanding its position as one of the world’s four largest partners of the international fragrance, cosmetics and food industry. By acquiring Kaden Biochemicals GmbH, the corporation continues its pattern of growth in the fields of fragrances, flavours and cosmetic ingredients.

Kaden Biochemicals has its headquarters in Hamburg. It develops and produces high purity active ingredients from plant material . The company is regarded as a major specialist in this area, and it is most active on the German and American markets. Kaden’s expertise is a perfect complement to Symrise’s competencies in flavorings and sensory ingredients. The innovative products and concepts which Symrise clients receive go beyond simple fragrance or flavoring compositions, and they will have now an added value that is even greater than before.

Kaden Biochemicals was an owner-operated company in which Heinrich Kaden holds 90% of the stock. In their search for new ownership, the management at Kaden decided in favor of Symrise, which now owns Kaden Biochemicals completely. “Symrise was always my partner of choice when we were looking for a successor for my business. I am confident that these two companies suit each other perfectly in terms of their product portfolio,â€ said Heinrich Kaden.

“This acquisition gives us a good position on the highly attractive market for functional food and nutraceuticals. As a result, we can now offer a much broader spectrum, and we can present ourselves even more strongly as a source of comprehensive sensory solutions for nearly every challenge on the market,â€ stated Dr. Gerold Linzbach, CEO at Symrise.

Source: Symrise

2006/01/12:

Soap & Body Cleansers: top fragrances in new launches

The lavender fragrance has experienced a surge in popularity with manufacturers, being the second most popular fragrance in soaps & body cleansers in the year to October 2005. The fragrance was only the sixth most

popular fragrance in the previous year. Conversely, jasmine has seemingly fallen out of fashion; despite being the second most popular fragrance in the category in 2004, it did not feature in the top ten in the year to October

2005.See the detailed ranking below:

Most used fragrance in new soap & body cleansers products

worldwide, November 2004-October 2005

1 Blend

2 Lavender

3 Rose

4 Vanilla

5 Honey

6 Fresh

7 Aloe

8 Citrus

8 Musk

8 Orange

8 Sandalwood

8 Lemon

Source: Datamonitor Productscan online

2006/01/12:

Future Trend: Do-it-yourself health and body care

Plastic surgeons may have more fun, but who needs them when you can buy off-the-shelf microdermabrasion kits, chemical peels and myriad intensive skin care treatments? Not to mention the proliferation of tooth whitening products and medical test kits (including a new kit designed to identify the gender of your baby before birth called the Baby Gender Mentor Home DNA Gender Testing Kit), you can be a doctor in your own home or at least pretend to be one with today's new generation health and body care products for home use. Product examples include a new Botox alternative called Face Lift Freeze Cream Injection Free Line Relaxer Anti-Wrinkle Complex from Irvine, CA-based University Medical Products along with Olay Regenerist Thermal skin Polisher from Procter & Gamble, the latter said to be more gentle than a chemical peel.

Source: Datamonitor Productscan Online

2006/01/12:

Tooth whitening: professional cosmetics lead the way for mainstream

New Zealand manufacturer Bdazzled has launched a range of professional tooth-whitening kits designed to appeal to consumers’ increasingly sophisticated demands for demonstrably effective dental cosmetics. Manufacturers need to recognize this trend and aim to develop products that bring the consumer ever closer to the professional solution. A new range of high-performance tooth whitening kits has been launched in New Zealand by a tooth specialist company. 'Bdazzled Professional Tooth Whitening' is designed to be used for half an hour twice a day over a fortnight while 'Bdazzled Express' contains a higher concentration of the active ingredient ? hydrogen peroxide ?is applied over the course of two days. While the popularity of tooth whitening kits is relatively new, tooth whitening claims are already common in mainstream dental care categories. Specialist whitening brands, such as Clinomyn and Rembrandt are long established, however mainstream brands, like Colgate’s Sparkling White, are increasingly using 'whitening' as part of the brand name. Previously toothpastes made claims such as “helps to keep teeth whiteâ€, but the increasing inclusion of 'whitening' in brand names reflects the growing consumer interest in dental cosmetics

over dental hygiene. Bdazzled's tooth whitening kits promise professional results. In the same way that hair care and skincare products increasingly reflect services available in professional salons, home tooth whitening kits bring the consumer one step closer to the professional solution and are therefore likely to prove popular. While Bdazzled's tooth whitening kits price of US$150 each may appear expensive, consumers are increasingly willing to pay a premium for proven functionality. The higher penetration of women in this segment may also play in Bdazzled's favor. Procter & Gamble’s Crest

brand has already recognized this, recently launching Crest Rejuvenating Effects, marketed as beauty toothpaste "designed to keep smiles looking and feeling younger". Interestingly, this claim echoes those made frequently within the skincare category. Bdazzled's two new home tooth whitening kits are likely to prove successful with consumers because a growing number want cosmetic benefits from dental care products, as well as hygiene benefits. Their focus on cosmetic benefits may also signal the way for more mainstream dental care products as it increasingly apparent that consumers are prepared to pay a price premium to obtain demonstrable cosmetic results at home.

Source: Datamonitor Product Watch

2006/01/11:

IFF announces cut of 300 jobs

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) announced its plans to cut app. 300 jobs in the areas of manufacturing, selling, research and administration functions mainly in Europe and North America. This represent 6% of the Company’s workforce. As a result of these actions, the Company anticipates recording pre-tax restructuring charges of $25 million to $30 million, the majority of which will be recognized in the fourth quarter 2005; the remaining charges are expected to be recognized in the first half of 2006. The company estimates that full-year 2005 sales should drop 2%, compared to the prior-year period in dollar terms.

Source: IFF

News Archive 2005

News December 2005

2005/12/27:

Desert Whale Jojoba Company and farms renew Organic Certification

Desert Whale Jojoba Co., Inc. announced the renewal of their QAI organic certification. This commences Desert Whale’s sixth year providing the highest quality organic jojoba and natural emollients to the personal care industry.

Source: Desert Whale Jojoba Company

2005/12/22:

Kaneka announces completion of additional expansion of coenzyme Q10 production facilities

Kaneka Corporation of Osaka, Japan, announced today that it has completed the planned expansion of its CoQ10 facilities in Takasago, Japan, and has begun commercial shipment of KanekaQ10â„¢ to customers after meeting the required pharmaceutical validations and safety confirmation of its production facility. This new expansion brings Kaneka’s annual CoQ10 production capacity in Japan from 150 metric tons to 180 metric tons, an expansion needed in order to meet steadily increasing CoQ10 demand worldwide.

Meanwhile, in the United States, Kaneka Nutrients L.P., in Pasadena, Texas, a fully owned subsidiary of Kaneka Corporation of Japan, is currently building a new CoQ10 plant with an annual production capacity of 100 metric tons. This Phase I construction, although affected by two recent hurricanes, is expected to be completed by the summer of 2006, thus enabling Kaneka to better meet the strong increase in CoQ10 consumption both in the United States market and in the Japanese and other worldwide markets.

Because of this trend, Kaneka is now planning further expansion of its CoQ10 production capacity in both of its U.S. and Japanese facilities.

Source: Kaneka Japan

2005/12/21:

New peptides by Atrium Biotechnologies

Atrium Biotechnologies announces the launch of a line of five new peptides. These well defined biomimetic peptides supported by scientific studies are efficient tools for anti-aging, photo damage, suncare, tissue repair, skin whitening and soothing care formulations. These products are distributed in Germany by Lehmann & Voss & Co.

Source: Lehmann & Voss & Co.

2005/12/16:

Valois introduces new super flat sampling solution

Valois launches a new super flat sampling packaging which- as the company says- will be respecting both the qualitative and quantatative expectations of both brand and consumer. The new product is called "Imagin" and is the fruit of several years’ work dedicated to the fine-tuning of a totally original sample. Imagin claims to be the first super flat sample, blessed with a large surface for advertising that emits a spray. Imagin is a form of mini-packaging with multiple applications. The new product is to be officially presented in January 2006.

Source: Valois

2005/12/14:

SymCalmin: the newest success from Symrise Research

Dihydroavenanthramide D for topical applications to help reduce itch and irritation

Symrise, a global supplier of innovative cosmetic ingredients, is pleased to announce the launch of its new active ingredient SymCalmin.

Symrise could demonstrate that avenanthramides are the active constituents of oat, which has been long known for its anti-irritant and anti-itch properties. The identification and use of bioactive substances in plants - as e.g. in oats ? is one of the key research areas at Symrise. Natural avenanthramides constitute only a minor fraction of oat. Taking nature as a guide, Symrise has synthesized a stable version of avenanthramide called Dihydroavenanthramide D, a patent pending compound.

Studies have also shown that Dihydroavenanthramide D is effective to help reduce itch and inflammation. It can be used for a wide range of topical applications like dry and itchy winter skin, aged skin, sensitive skin, after-sun preparation, itchy scalp and anti-dandruff shampoo. It can also be used to reduce potential irritation of actives like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs).

Dihydroavenanthramide D is available under the trade name SymCalmin. It is a colorless and odorless liquid soluble in polyols like glycerin and glycols, ethanol and surfactants. The (proposed) INCI of SymCalmin is “Pentylene Glycol and Butylene Glycol and Dihydroavenanthramide Dâ€. The recommended dose of application is 0.1 ? 2.0%.

The cosmetic industry increasingly takes leads for new active materials from nature. Symrise demonstrates its long-standing experience in identification and isolation of botanical actives with the development of SymCalmin, which evolved from the research of the active anti-irritant principle in oats.

Source: Symrise http://pressroom.symrise.com/en/pressemeldungen/pm141205.php

2005/12/13:

New Engelhard Technology Smoothes Deep Wrinkles Without Injections

Engelhard Corporation has introduced new technology that enables rapid, noticeable smoothing of deep skin wrinkles without painful injections. Engelhard Hyaluronic Filling SpheresÂ® are made of pure hyaluronic acid, the leading resorbable product used by dermatologists, plastic surgeons and practitioners of aesthetic medicine to penetrate and fill deep wrinkles that usually appear on foreheads, between eyebrows, on the corners of the mouth and on the cheeks of people who have spent considerable time in the sun. "This anti-wrinkle delivery system is a truly breakthrough alternative to painful injections for the personal care market,â€ said Frank Freiler, Engelhard’s general manager of personal care materials. “Our exclusive filling spheres harness the industry’s most natural active ingredient, hyaluronic acid, for high-intensity and rapid- action skin smoothing and softening results.â€ Unlike widely used injection treatments, Hyaluronic Filling Spheres are applied topically to the skin in either emulsion or gel form to smooth away heavy wrinkles. The spheres are initially dehydrated, then fill with water present in the skin itself. This hydration process causes an increase in volume proportional to the microspheres’ moisture-retaining capacity, which results in reduced wrinkles. Hyaluronic acid is used in the application because of its high water-retaining capacity and rapid, significant increase in volume.

Engelhard also offers filling spheres designed for fine lines, such as “crow’s feetâ€ at the corner of eyes. The technology, which can reduce crow’s feet in less than one hour, is based on polymers such as collagen or plant proteins. These filling spheres also increase in volume based on the polymers’ water-retaining capacity, thus “smoothingâ€ fine lines.

Engelhard personal care materials provide the functionality that changes skin for the better: moisturization, sun protection, firming, slimming and skin brightening for a radiant, youthful appearance. These skin-care active ingredients are supplemented with aesthetic enhancers, preservatives, and pigments to provide a single source for personal care and cosmetic formulation needs.

Engelhard is a leading global supplier of materials technology to the cosmetic and personal care industries. The acquisitions of Coletica, S.A. and The Collaborative Group, Ltd have further expanded Engelhard’s existing capabilities in the growing market for skin-care materials used in such applications as moisturizing, sun protection and anti-wrinkle creams.

Source: Engelhard

2005/12/12:

BASF to cease production of vitamin C

BASF is to cease production of vitamin C in Grenaa, Denmark, at the end of 2005. The site, at which the company operates a vitamin C facility with an annual capacity of 4,000 metric tons, is no longer competitive due to the low capacity of the plant and the continuous decline in prices for vitamin C as a result of overcapacities. Currently, BASF employs 77 people at the Grenaa site. “We are aware of our social responsibility and have already reached agreements on educational programs as well as compensation packages with our employees,â€ said Wolfgang Müller, head of BASF Health & Nutrition A/S in Denmark.The company’s activities at its Ballerup site will not be affected by the closure. Here, BASF primarily manufactures powder formulations of vitamins and carotenoids as well as other microencapsulated in-gredients primarily for the food industry.

Source: BASF

2005/12/07:

Payan Bertrand acquires General Aromatics

The family group of aromatic ingredients Payan Bertrand S.A., owned and managed by Eric and Vincent Proal ? 11M€ in sales, 65 employees over two sites in Grasse (Alpes Maritimes) ? goes through a very important step of its development with the acquisition of General Aromatic. This merge, the first of its kind for Payan Bertrand, should bring, on the short term, an additional 4 M€ in sales. For the family company founded in 1854, this operation of external growth goes along with a strategy that started early 2004 by the opening in Grasse of a second unit focused exclusively on the production of fragrances. The activity of General Aromatics, a family company founded in 1989 by Alain Cochard is similar to Payan Bertrand’s. General Aromatics makes 75% of its sales in the fine fragrance business, cosmetics, toiletries, hair care, air care, detergence and industrial products, and 25% of its sales in the trading of aromatic products. The acquisition of General Aromatics leads to the closing down of their production site in Saint Cezaire and the integration of 16 employees spread over the two production sites of Payan Bertrand, along with the transfer of production and quality control equipments, including an automatic compound robot Roxane “Aâ€. Due to its well balanced activities? natural products, fragrances ? of which 80% are exported, Payan Bertrand takes a significant and original position on the worldwide market of aromatic ingredients.

Source: Payan Bertrand

2005/12/07:

Tupperware: Name Change after Sara Lee acquisition

After the acquisition of US personal-care manufacturer Sara Lee Corporation's direct-selling business, the Tupperware Corporation announced that it had changed its corporate name to Tupperware Brands Corporation from Tupperware Corporation. Before buying the Sara Lee part, Tupperware already hat a direct-sales beauty business, BeautiControl. The purchase has extended Tupperware's presence in Latin America and Asia Pacific. The personal care products are now app. 35% of Tupperware's total businesses, now including brands like Avroy Shlain, House of Fuller, House of Sara Lee, NaturCare, Nutrimetics, Nuvó Cosméticos and Swissgarde.

Source: Tupperware Brands Corporation

2005/12/06:

Pop and Rock star fragrances: smells like teen spirit

Following the trail blazed by the likes of Britney Spears and J-Lo, controversial rock frontman Marilyn Manson is in talks with a major cosmetics firm over the launch of a new fragrance and potentially a makeup range. While endorsement by such an arguably 'niche' celebrity carries a certain element of

risk, the new products are almost certain to target teen emotional need states effectively.Some of the most successful personal care product launches of recent years have included fragrances endorsed by popular music stars. Britney Spears' 'Curious' was the best-selling fragrance in summer 2005,

despite the singer being labeled by some observers as a "risky" choice for Elizabeth Arden. As the life-cycle of fragrances becomes shorter and new perfumes are released more frequently, market players are increasingly

using celebrity endorsement to promote their brands.

Teenage consumers, both male and female, often use personal care products to fulfill the sometimes conflicting needs of the desire to belong to a group or to express individuality. The idea of standing outside the teen musical and aesthetic mainstream is particularly relevant to Manson's younger audience, especially as the rock star considers his gothic image to be an integral part of himself as both a music performer and artist. The new fragrance is therefore likely to appeal to key emotional need states of his teen audience.

Source: Datamonitor

2005/12/05:

New personal care launches Jul-Sep: a nail painting exercise

The number of new skincare products that have been launched on the personal care market increased significantly in July to September 2005 compared to the same period last year. Productscan Online reports that

skincare was also the leading category for the period, highlighting the popularity of skincare products among both men and women. Although lipsticks and lipstick products were the second leading category in the period,

there was a considerable drop in the number of launches in the 2005 period in this category, compared to the three months in 2004. Meanwhile, another product popular with females, fingernail products, has experienced a

rise in popularity, with 58% more products launched in this category in the 2005 period.

Source: Datamonitor

2005/12/02:

Shaving Creams, Gels & Accessories: top fragrances in new launches

According to Productscan Online, the leading fragrance in shaving creams, gels & accessories was blend in the 12 months to September 2005, followed by wood. The third leading fragrance, citrus, has enjoyed a particular spurt of popularity, entering from outside the ranking in the previous 12 months. Meanwhile, sandalwood has fallen out of favor with manufacturers, being the second most popular fragrance in the 12 months to September

2004, and only joint tenth this year. Please find the Top 10 list below:

1 Blend

2 Wood

3 Citrus

4 Fresh

5 Aloe

6 Patchouli

7 Bergamot

7 Spice

9 Amber

10 Lavender

10 Mandarin

10 Sandalwood

Source: Datamonitor

2005/12/01:

Gwendolyn Vestraci Holt appointed West Coast Regional Account Manager for Desert Whale Jojoba Company

Gwendolyn Vestraci Holt has been appointed the West Coast Regional Account Manager for Desert Whale Jojoba Company. With 8 years of experience in the personal care industry in both QC and formulating and more than 6 years experience in sales, we welcome Gwen as the newest member of our sales team. Gwen will focus her efforts on managing current accounts and developing new personal care business. Her diverse work experience contributes to Desert Whale's commitment to providing our customers with the highest standards of service.

Source: Desert Whale Jojoba Company

News November 2005

2005/11/30:

Researchers espect decline in nail care market

The nail care products market stood at $951.2 million in 2004 and is estimated to decline in 2005, primarily due to changing consumer attitudes. Women, the primary consumers of nail care products, are placing less importance on a polished look, opting for a more casual, everyday style in dress, make-up and nails. Another reason for the decline is lack of innovation in a mature nail polish category. The decline of the nail polish category, which is 43% of the total market, is dragging every other segment down. Revival of the nail polish category is the key to regaining consumer interest and arrest further sagging sales. This all new Packaged Facts report, Market Trends: Nail Care Products , discusses in detail the sales and share of artificial nails & nail care accessories, nail polish and nail treatment products, between 2000-2005, with projections through 2010. The report documents market size, brand shares and composition, provides market projections, profiles major marketers, covers distribution and retail trends, and provides a demographic profile the female adult and teen nail polish consumer.

Source: Packaged Facts Research

2005/11/22:

Greentech launches new soothing active Protectol

Greentech will launch Protectol, a new soothing active for sensitive and reactive skins. Skin ensures a main role in the body’s defences in relation to numerous aggressions coming from the surrounding world, like physical aggressions (UV rays, cold, heat), chemical aggressions (pollution, detergent products) or biological aggressions (stress, microbes). Due to these aggressions, the skin barrier function becomes deficient, its tolerance threshold lowers which makes skin more reactive and more vulnerable to external stimuli. This greater reactivity provokes tingling, itching, nagging pain and heating feelings with the possibility of drying out and diffuse redness. Protectol is said to reduce skin reactivity in relation to various aggressions. It regulates and inhibits the inflammatory process.

Greentech has precisely searched the plant fraction having an activity on phospholipase A2, one of the enzymes inducing inflammatory

reactions. The company claims to have developed a new research

process which they call "Bioinformatics". This method combines the spacial representation of well-known classical drugs, the molecular modelling and the QSAR technique (Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship) which allows to anticipate the substance activity having a chemical structure close to the molecule which activity is already well-known. Thanks to this method, it has Greentech claims to have proved that betulinic acid and betuline inhibited

the Phospholipase A2 enzymatic activity. Then, thanks to a large database

containing botanical, clinical and pharmacological description

of more than 30 000 plants, the white birch bark as well as the figwort aerial

parts have been identified as a plant source containing a high concentration

of betulinic acid, betuline and iridoids.

Source: Greentech

2005/11/21:

New shampoo targeted at bald men

Datamonitor research discovered an interesting new product in ther "Product Alert" in November: Men with receding hairlines are often neglected by shampoo manufacturers in their adverts, preferring to use models with healthy heads of hair. Now BG Products has launched a new hair care line to redress the balance, introducing a shampoo, conditioner and head wipes specifically formulated for the bald man's needs. This should help keep the millions of balding men out there a little happier. BG Products range of products for balding men have been launched in the US and include shampoo, conditioner and head wipes that are said to contain ingredients specifically formulated to keep balding heads looking healthy. Ingredients, such as green tea, vitamins, herbal moisturizers and protein, are claimed to help protect the delicate skin of the head from the sun, dirt and pollution in the air, irritation from shaving or the dryness and irritation from sunburn. This product range could appeal to the 35+ million men who are said to have some natural form of male pattern baldness, and the many more who shave completely bald by choice.

Source: Datamonitor

2005/11/21:

14th BEAUTY FORUM 2006 in Istanbul ? the summit of the industry in Spring 2006

From 30th to 2nd of April 2006, the 14th BEAUTY FORUM International Trade Fair will take place in the Lüfti Kirdar Rumeli Exhibition Center in Istanbul, Turkey. This industry summit for cosmetics, perfumery, beauty and care products as well as for equipment and techniques, will be organized by Health and Beauty Trade Fairs, Germany, in cooperation with Interteks International Trade exhibtions, Turkey. In 2005, more than 136 well-known Turkish and international companies presented their latest innovations to a total of 15.543 visitors. The venue with its 8000 square meters of exhibition space is placed in the city center. Being in walking distance of all international hotels and restarants, it offers an ideal environment for fruitfull business contacts. The products presented are targeted at beauty parlours, fitness and gym clubs as well as at hair dressers. Exhibition space is still available-

click here to get further information on this event

2005/11/14:

Symrise: Tim Schaffner is retiring

Passing on the torch in the Fragrance Division

Tim Schaffner is retiring ? EAME head Achim Daub named as successor

Tim Schaffner, Global President of the Fragrance Division of Symrise GmbH & Co. KG has decided to retire and will be succeeded by Achim Daub, the current President of the Fragrance Division for the company’s EAME sales region. Tim joined the company in 1998, successfully led the Symrise Fragrance Division through its post-merger integration phase and recently initiated important organizational changes within the division. In addition to his responsibilities for the EAME, the largest of the company’s sales regions, Achim Daub will assume global responsibility for the Fragrance Division with immediate effect. Achim Daub joined the company on October 1, 2004, and has since realigned European sales for the Fragrance Division. Prior to joining Symrise, Mr. Daub worked in numerous international management positions within the consumer goods industry, most recently at Procter & Gamble and Coty. Symrise is the fourth largest fragrances and flavorings manufacturer in the world; Achim Daub’s appointment will ensure continuity as the company continues to implement the realignment efforts in its fragrances business.

Source: Symrise

2005/11/14:

Pentapharm Ltd. announces the appointment of Mrs. Inci NAYKI

as its new Sales Manager for Switzerland effective 01.12.2005.

PENTAPHARM has changed its strategy regarding sales activities in its home market Switzerland and has decided to cover the market on its own. The company is therefore very pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Inci NAYKI as Sales Manager for PENTAPHARM’s cosmetic raw materials in Switzerland.With her chemical and economic background, Mrs. Inci NAYKI will contribute to further strengthen PENTAPHARM’s position on the Swiss market. PENTAPHARM’s scientific and marketing philosophy remains unchanged: to provide to their customers a range of innovative cosmetic actives with high quality and a highly sophisticated background together with a professional service.

Sources: Pentapharm

2005/11/09:

Alcan Proposes Realignment of its European Packaging Portfolio

Alcan Inc. announced to the European Works Council a proposal for the realignment of its packaging portfolio in Europe. The meeting included discussions regarding general organization and proposed restructuring projects affecting -among others- the Company’s beauty packaging sectors. The proposed restructuring effort would include a reorganization in several European countries, which could lead to a reduction of approximately 100â€”jobs. The Company could also consider the potential divestment of its Beauty packaging plant located in Provins (France), 168â€”people as part of its strategy to concentrate its investments on its core businesses.

Sources: Alcan

2005/11/08:

Symrise Research confirms anti-irritant effects in several plant extracts

The research team at Symrise has now succeeded in proving the anti-irritant efficacy of several plant extracts via screening on human keratinocytes (skin cells). After intensive research of specialist literature, the plants with the greatest potential were investigated to determine their ability to suppress the production of interleukin-1 alpha and prostaglandin E2. These are important signal molecules which are released by stressed cells, and they can be used to gauge the extent of irritation. An increased level of these molecules is a typical characteristic of many skin conditions which involve a weakened or damaged epidermal barrier, e.g. sensitive, dry or aged skin. Based on these findings, Symrise recently launched two state-of-the-art lines of botanical extracts: TCM ExtraponeÂ®, which draws upon Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Ayurveda ExtraponeÂ®, inspired by traditional treatments from India. Symrise's extensive efficacy tests showed that plants with powerful anti-irritant properties included not only Witch Hazel, but also Lonicera japonica (ExtraponeÂ® Honeysuckle Flower), Pueraria lobata (ExtraponeÂ® Pueraria Root), Sophora japonica (ExtraponeÂ® Sophora Flower) and Cyperus rotundus (ExtraponeÂ® Nutgrass Root). Symrise has reinforced its position as a global leader in the field of botanicals by proving the efficacy of several plant extracts in combating important stress-signal molecules in skin cells, and the corporation has once again demonstrated its core competence in research and development. The areas of focus in its R&D work include an intense search for new effective botanicals which can be used in cosmetics.

Source: Symrise

2005/11/03:

Study: New Formulations driving UK cosmetics market

The anti-aging trend that has driven many regional markets for cosmetics and toiletries over the past few years is also fueling growth in the $7 billion British market, according to a newly released study by Kline & Company. New product lines that promise to reduce wrinkles, plump the lips, and extend the lashes are proliferating throughout the U.K., driving market growth by nearly 3.5% over the last year, Kline’s study finds. GLOBAL COSMETICS & TOILETRIES 2004: UNITED KINGDOM takes a detailed look at the overall market for personal care products for both men and women and indicates that technological advances are the driving force in many product classes. In the makeup category, sales in the U.K. are being driven by advances in exact matching technology for foundation, which delivers a closer color match to the natural skin tone. L’Oreal Paris has been a champion of this movement with its True Match line, as has Maybelline with its Dream Matte Mousse products. The anti-aging trend has carried over into the lipstick and lip gloss market as well, with collagen-like formulations designed to give the appearance of fuller, younger-looking lips. These formulas are becoming more readily available at a variety of price points, from department store brands like Chanel’s Aqualumiere Sheer Color Lip Shine to lower-end brands like Rimmel’s Volume Boost Lipstick. While the overall market has experienced only a modest boost, the market for men’s products has seen a significant spike, albeit from a smaller base, with 15% growth from 2003 to 2004. While the buzz surrounding the metrosexual trend seems to have quieted, growth in this category can be attributed to still-growing interest among men??particularly young professionals??in their overall appearance, says Contreras. For example, Boots has recently reformulated and repackaged its makeup line and raised retail prices. The strategy seems to have worked, as the line has sold well in 2005, supported by a new in-store display campaign. GLOBAL COSMETICS & TOILETRIES 2004: UNITED KINGDOM is part of a global series that presents sales data in 17 separate volumes and more than 300 product category profiles, including sales value by product type and brand, retail outlet distribution, and five-year forecasts. The study is based on data collected from approximately 1,000 interviews with cosmetic and toiletry marketers, distributors, and retailers, as well as government agencies and trade organizations. For more information on the study series, go to www.klinegroup.com/y559.htm

Sources: Kline Group

2005/11/03:

Natura partners with Rexam to produce environmentally friendly packaging

Natura, a leading cosmetics and personal care company based in SÃ£o Paulo, Brazil, has teamed with Rexam Dispensing Systems to develop a modern, environmentally friendly personal care package for its full line of deodorant brands, beginning with the men's 'Sr N de Natura' (or 'Mr. N from Natura') spray bottle. Rexam is able to deliver all of the components of this new, upscale deodorant package by employing its full range of global resources: from France, for packaging design and engineering; from the U.S., for pump technology; and from Brazil, for manufacturing and assembly.

The partnership began in 2003, when Natura asked Rexam for design and concept ideas around a new generation of deodorant packaging for all of its brands. The Brazilian company was especially looking to create not only an upscale product with a modern appearance, but also a package that reflected the 'Four Pillars' of its environmental philosophy in which a product should be refillable, have the capability of being recycled or contain recycled materials, be reusable, and allow the reduction of raw materials used in manufacturing, as well as limit end-user wastes.

Sources: Rexam

2005/11/01:

New Carmine factory: C.E. Roeper de Chile S.A.

The construction of C.E. Ropers new Carmine factory has now been completed and at present the machines of the old factory are moved to the new one and lots of new machines and equipment including a spraydry tower and a micronizer are installed. The schedule of implementing the new factory is mid/end November 2005. C.E. Roeper's new capacity will be min. 5 tons Carmine WS50% per month and the Carmine and Norbixine products will soon be certified by ISO 9001/HACCP and IFS (International Food Standard). We will produce Norbixine, Carmine Lakes, Liquids, Carminic Acid, Carmine acid stable and Carmine watersoluble. Thanks to some new machines the company will be able to serve its clients with more sophisticated products and taylor made blends according to our customer’s specification.

Source: C.E. Roeper

News October 2005

2005/10/28:

Dow Corning is launching new thickening agent

Dow Corning is launching new RM 2051 Thickening Agent that also acts as an emulsifier, makes formulation easy and offers real cost benefits too. This stable new thickener-emulsifier eliminates pre-work such as neutralizing and heating during formulation. It is easy to use, it eliminates clumping, dusting and electrical-charge build up. RM 2051 is compatible in formulations based on silicones, minerals, organic oils, esters, sunscreens and more. It offers a favorable Texture ? smooth, non-sticky, non-greasy feel that is preferred by customers.

Sources: Dow Corning

2005/10/26:

Clariant: Expanded Group headquarters now fully operational

The decisive phase of the "Move" project has now been completed: during the last September and first October weekends, key functions of the Pigments & Additives, Functional Chemicals and Life Science Chemicals Divisions were moved to the expanded Group headquarters in Switzerland. The Group functions already working in Switzerland have also moved to their new workplaces and have vacated the provisional offices they were occupying at the Muttenz site. All in all, more than 300 people have moved to the Group headquarters. CEO Roland Lösser sees a business advantage in a strong and closely networked headquarters: "I firmly believe that the simplified structures will make the management task easier and will significantly improve our efficiency. This will make our company more competitive." The expanded Group headquarters, which includes the Corporate Center (Board of Management and Group functions) and the divisional managements, is now located at the three sites Muttenz, Münchenstein and Reinach, which are in the immediate vicinity of each other.

Source: Clariant Personal Care

2005/10/24:

Top Fragrances in new Shampoo and Deodorizer Launches

Shampoo and conditioner manufacturers appear to be favoring novel fragrances over old favorites in their new product launches, with Productscan Online stating that several new fragrance terms have entered the leading rankings list in the year to August 2005, from the same period last year including "fresh", "orange" and "sweet." The "fresh" fragrance has enjoyed a particular spurt of popularity, entering the chart at joint second. Conversely, chamomile has had a less prolific period, exiting the leader board, from fourth place in the year to August 2004. Looking at Deodorizers & Air Fresheners, the vanilla fragrance has seen its popularity wane, falling to fifth most popular fragrance for deodorizers and air fresheners in the year to August 2005, from second in the same period last year. However, Productscan Online shows that the third most popular fragrance, citrus, has experienced a boost in popularity, rising from fifth place in the same period a year ago. Lower down the rankings, jasmine has also grown in popularity with manufacturers, rising to fifth place, from ninth in the 12 months to August 2004.

Source:

Productscan Online -the world's largest and longest running NPD database

2005/10/21:

European Commission Examines Alternatives to Animal Testing

Vice President Verheugen and Commissioner PotoÄnik will hold a Conference on “Alternative Approaches to Animal Testingâ€ 7 November 2005 in Brussels. Speakers will include high-level representatives and experts from industry, animal welfare organisations, academia and national, European as well as international institutions. The objectives of the conference are to demonstrate that the European Union keeps animal welfare high on the political agenda and remains in the lead for animal protection, demonstrate industry’s approach to promote actively research in alternative methods, demonstrate progress made in the area of alternative methods to animal tests at EU and international level, identify further possibilities to improve development and validation of alternative methods. The conference will focus on policy issues. It is seen as complementary to the 5th World Congress on Alternatives & Animal Use in Life Sciences, which took place in Berlin from 21-25 August 2005 and addressed mainly scientific issues.

Source: European Commission Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry

2005/10/21:

Chinese said to sell collagen made from shot prisoner's skin

As the British newspaper "The Guardian" reports, a Chinese cosmetics company is using skin harvested from the corpses of executed convicts to develop beauty products for sale in Europe. Agents for the firm have told would-be customers it is developing collagen for lip and wrinkle treatments from skin taken from prisoners after they have been shot. The agents say some of the company's products have been exported to Europe, and that the use of skin from condemned convicts is "traditional" and nothing to "make such a big fuss about". With European regulations to control cosmetic treatments such as collagen not expected for several years, doctors and politicians say the discovery highlights the dangers faced by the increasing number of Europeans seeking to improve their looks. Apart from the ethical concerns, there is also the potential risk of infection.

Source: The Guardian

2005/10/21:

Degussa is raising prices due to energy costs

Due to drastic increases in the costs of energy and raw materials, Degussa AG, Dusseldorf, is planning further price increases worldwide for many of its products. The costs for key raw materials that the Degussa Group processes into specialty chemical products have risen by double-digit rates this year. These include, for example, C4 crack, crude oil, propylene, acetone and methanol. Worldwide, Degussa will have to spend around 12 percent more on electricity and natural gas this year. The company is anticipating an even more significant increase in energy costs of over 20 percent in 2006 because of the time lag between price increases and their impact. In line with its decentralized corporate structure, the business units will determine the extent and timing of the price increases for individual products and inform their customers accordingly.

Source: Degussa

2005/10/19:

Rohm and Haas launches new rheology modifier

Rohm and Haas just launched ACULYNâ„¢ 38 rheology modifier which is said to make formulating clear personal care formulations easier. The microgel structure of ACULYN 38 rheology modifier enables outstanding clarity and suspension of particles of all sizes in surfactant-based formulations. Available in an easy-to-use liquid form, it has wide-ranging compatibility with other cosmetic ingredients.The excellent suspending properties make it ideal for

suspending today’s silicone-containing products and antidandruff agents as well as pearlizing agents in a broad range of rinse-off and leave on personal care applications.

Source: Rohm and Haas

2005/10/17:

Market Study: Personal & Oral Care On-The-Go

The new Datamonitor study (published in August 2005) found out that in 2004, there were 227 billion On-The-Go (OTG) personal and oral care occasions in Europe and the US and in value terms by 2009 this market will be worth over US$7bn. The need to save time and the pressure to look good drive consumers to groom outside the home. Manufacturers can exploit this trend by aligning their products and marketing with consumers' practical and emotional needs.Staying Away From Home personal and oral care occasions in Europe and the US represent 68% of all On-The-Go occasions. Within five years, this will have increased to 70%. 60% of adults report that they groom On-The-Go. 47% of all consumers report that they use personal care in the workplace, making this a very important occasion to target over the next five years. The study can be purchased on the Datamonitor website.

Source: Datamonitor

2005/10/13:

New colour cosmetics newsletter : Try it for free

Intertech is launching a fortnightly newsletter covering developments and breaking news in the global colour cosmetics sector. Produced with their UK-based affiliate company Pira, colour cosmetics news provides exclusive news and intelligence on the hair, make-up and colour cosmetics industry. It is designed to keep you up to date with vital breaking intelligence between the annual summits. It will will report on mew colour cosmetics launches and products, show analysis of future product strategies, will cover new technologies, processes and manufacturing techniques for colour cosmetics. Being a COSSMA reader, you may try colour cosmetics news free for the first three issues - click here to sign up now! Intertech is so confident of the quality of their editorial, that stories are guaranteed exclusive or your money back!

2005/10/06:

European Theft Barometer: Cosmetics are most wanted items

According to the European Theft Barometer 2005 which was published in October, high-quality cosmetcs and fine fragrances are most likely to be stolen from european shops. Thieves are especially active during the holiday season to fulfill their “Christmas listâ€ orders. The study is conducted yearly by the Centre for Retail Research (CRR) and measures retail shrinkage in 25 countries. The UK is the Western European country with the highest shrinkage: It loses 1.38% of turnover to crime or wastage. Portugal and Finland are following on rank 2 and 3. Switzerland has the lowest rate with only 0,89%.

Source: Centre for Retail Research

2005/10/04:

Aptar Group buys MBF Plastiques

As announced on October 4, 2005, the Aptar group acquired MBF Developpement SAS and related companies ("MBF"). With MBF's decorative technology, the group is expanding its product offerings to better serve its fragrance/cosmetic customers. Aptar group is specialising in dispensers and packaging. One of MBF's production sites is dedicated to perfumery and cosmetics, special series and batch production.

Source: Aptar Group

2005/10/04:

ALTANA Chemie closed the acquisition of the ECKART group

ALTANA AG announced today that the ALTANA Chemie AG completed the acquisition of the ECKART group as of October 1, 2005. The acquisition had been announced in August 2005. The responsible antitrust authorities have approved the acquisition. Within the framework of the transaction, ALTANA Chemie acquired the entire business of the global leading manufacturer of metallic effect pigments for applications in paints and printing inks, plastics and cosmetics as well as technical applications for a gross purchase price of EUR630 million (“cash and debt freeâ€ basis). ALTANA Chemie retains all of ECKART’s sites and employees. ECKART’s name and corporate identity will be maintained; the company will become ALTANA Chemie’s fourth division, “Effect Pigmentsâ€. This new division will be managed by Dr. Christoph Schlünken, the new head of the Management Board of the ECKART group.

Source: Altana Chemie

2005/10/03:

Alliance UniChem and Boots announce merger plans

The Boards of Alliance UniChem and Boots announce that they have agreed the terms of a recommended Merger to create Alliance Boots, an international pharmacy-led healthcare group with combined sales of over Â£13 billion. This merger of equals builds on the existing strategies of Alliance UniChem and Boots, combining their complementary skills and businesses to create Europe’s leading retail pharmacy business comprising just under 3,0001 retail outlets with a wholesale and distribution network serving over 88,0001 outlets. This will include a network of approximately 2,600 UK healthcare outlets, including two distinctly managed formats which will be branded Boots, comprising approximately 1,500 community pharmacies and approximately 800 destination health and beauty stores, most of which include a pharmacy. In addition, the Group will have approximately 300 other retail outlets. The Merger will allow improved healthcare offerings across the broader network of community and local pharmacies while continuing to support and develop the destination stores as the UK’s health and beauty expert. The merger will also include a wholesale network across 11 European countries, predominantly serving both independent pharmacies and Alliance Boots outlets.

Source: Boots

News September 2005

2005/09/23:

L'Oréal is opening research facility in China

L’Oréal announced today the opening of a new research facility in China, the Pudong L’Oréal Research Centre, whose main mission will be to conduct and support basic science research to vastly improve present understanding of the structure and behavior of Chinese hair and skin. Located in Pudong, on the outskirts of Shanghai, the Research Centre is the first facility of its type operated by a cosmetics company equipped with a world-class team of chemists and physicists to advance the understanding of the unique properties of the hair and skin of Chinese consumers. The research complex of 3,000mÂ² will also house product laboratories with expertise in Asian products and consumer products evaluation centres. L’Oréal will leverage the valuable knowledge that is obtained from the research that is conducted at the Pudong L’Oréal Research Centre to develop innovative and better performing new hair care, skincare and cosmetic products for a growing number of Chinese and Asian consumers worldwide.

Source: L'Oréal

2005/09/14:

Wella AG continues its growth

The Wella Group's core businesses developed very favorably last year (July 1, 2004 ? June 30, 2005). Despite difficult conditions at a time of change, the Professional and Cosmetics & Fragrances divisions increased their sales (after adjustment) by 5.3% to EUR 2.227 billion in comparison with the previous twelve-month period. The core businesses showed a decrease (-8.5%) in nominal terms, because of changes in the scope of consolidation.

Source: Wella

2005/09/14:

Winner of "Airspray Formulation Challenge" at HBA

Airspray International will announce the winners of the 2005 Airspray Formulation Challenge on September 27, 4:30 p.m., at booth #1915, Health & Beauty America (HBA) Exposition in New York City. In addition, Airspray identified the program’s international panel of judges, who together have more than 100 years of industry experience, Stephen Hazell, Senior Project Chemist PCDL, Gillette UK; Jon Packer, CEO,Centerchem Inc.; Richard Brown, Director of R&D, Cosmetic Labs of America (Alberto Culver Corporation); and Dr. Eugene Frank, Senior Vice President, Raani Corporation. Announced earlier this year, Airspray’s international program is designed to unleash the creativity of product developers and underscores the potential of the non-aerosol shaving foam category. Airspray finger pumps all work without gas propellants to transform liquid into foam.Open to manufacturers, contract packagers, distributors and formulators, the provocative Airspray promotion challenges companies to develop a shaving foam ? in two categories, men’s and women’s ? for the Airspray instant foam dispensing technology. For a variety of business, environmental and product benefit-related reasons, the company is convinced that instant-foam shaving products represent a major market segment for its innovative one-touch-foam mechanical dispensing systems. Awards include (for direct customers, contract packager or distributor) a ten percent opening order discount or up to €10,000 worth of pumps and a personal award of an all-expense paid spring trip to Holland during Tulip Time. Formulators will win a corporate award of €10,000, plus a personal prize of a trip to Holland for two.

Source: Airspray International

2005/09/08:

New site in Germany to service CPL sales growth

CPL Aromas have established a brand new site in Bielefeld, North West Germany, to service its rapidly growing business in the German and Central Europe markets. The new operation is headed up by General Manager Bernd Schomann who was previously Senior Vice President of Fragrances at H&R/Symrise. The new teams (Perfumery, Fragrance Development, Marketing, Sales and Customer Service) are now in place and providing a fresh new service to the local market which includes major national brands, retailers and international brands.

Source: CPL Aromas

2005/09/08:

New Managing Director at Dieter Bakic Group

Hans-Claudio von Kameke is new Managing Director of the Dieter Bakic Group effective August 05. Mr. Hans-Claudio von Kameke comes from Distribution Company OTTO, Germany, where he has most recently held the position of Purchasing Director (textile). At the Dieter Bakic Group, Mr. Hans-Claudio von Kameke will be responsible for purchasing, marketing, sales as well as for further strategic business development.

Source: DieterBakicEnterprises

2005/09/05:

Richard Hesk appointed new Exhibition Director for in-cosmetics

Reed Exhibitions has appointed Richard Hesk as the new Exhibition Director for in-cosmetics. Richard previously worked for Tetra Pak in their global cosmetic processing division supplying processing equipment to the leading global manufacturers of skin and hair care products such as L’Oreal, Wella, Proctor & Gamble, Beiersdorf and Henkel. Richard Hesk commented “my aim is to get â€˜under the skin’ of our customers, to understand better their business and industry drivers to deliver an exhibition that exceeds their needs and ensure that in-cosmetics remains the market leaderâ€. The next in-cosmetics will take place in Barcelona, Spain from 4-6 April 2006. With over 5,300mÂ² booked (as of 06/09/05), the show is already bigger than in-cosmetics 2005 in Berlin and promises to be one of the most successful to date. Source: In-Cosmetics

2005/09/02:

Saint-Gobain Calmar acquires Microspray Delta

to become European number two producer of pumps for the fragrance industry

Saint-Gobain Calmar has acquired Microspray Delta, the Italian manufacturer of pumps for the fragrance and cosmetics industries, located near Milan. Microspray Delta was established in 1948 by the Marelli family, to design and manufacture molds. In 1987, the company decided to specialize in producing pumps, and has subsequently experienced strong and sustained growth. In 2003, Microspray Delta was acquired by Paladin Capital Partners, the investment fund of Bain Italy. In 2004, Microspray Delta’s revenues reached over €16 million, and the firm employed 70 people. Thanks to this acquisition, Saint-Gobain Calmar becomes Europe’s second largest manufacturer of pumps for the fragrance industry, and now employs some 920 people in Europe (and in excess of 2350 worldwide). Established in California in 1946, Saint-Gobain Calmar became a part of the Saint-Gobain Group’s Packaging Sector in 1998. From its worldwide manufacturing base, Calmar produces innovative, easy-to-use and stylish sprayers and product dispensing systems for household cleansing, personal care and cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products.

Source: Saint Gobain Calmar

2005/09/01:

Sustained high level of alufoil demand

Figures compiled by the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) for the first semester of 2005, indicate that shipments of aluminium foil have maintained the healthy level set in the first quarter. The sales of the first six months increased slightly from 429,300 tons by 0.3 percent to 430,600 tons. With a strong growth of 13 % the sales were driven by the exports to countries outside the EAFA region while the shipments inside this region decreased slightly by 2 percent. According to Stefan Glimm, EAFA Executive Director, the general expectations for the rest of 2005 are the continuation of a good level of sales over the year as a whole. Approximately three quarters of aluminium foil is used in packaging where its characteristics of strength, formability and barrier properties have made it an essential part of many flexible packaging and container applications.

Quelle: EAFA

August 2005

2005/08/31

Silab presents new ingredients at HBA

Silab will introduce new ingredients and present its complete range of actives at the Health and Beauty America (HBA) exhibition, to be held September 27-29, 2005, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York booth nÂ° 1166. In order to improve skin resistance and limit the appearance of striae, SILAB proposes ELASTONYLÂ®, an active ingredient that protects and repairs elastic and collagen tissue. It combats the degradation of elastic tissue by inhibiting the expression of proteolytic enzymes such as MMP-1, MMP-2 and cathepsin L.For its anti-strech marks effect, ELASTONYLÂ® is recommended for all types of body care products to prevent and attenuate stretch marks. Moreover, for its very significant anti-wrinkle action, ELASTONYLÂ® can be used in all skin care products.

Source: Silab

2005/08/30

L'Oréal acquires Delial brand from Sara Lee

L’Oréal group acquires Delial, the sun care brand, from Sara Lee International. Founded 70 years ago, Delial is one of the leading brands of sun care in Europe, especially in Spain where it ranks among the top three brands on the market. Delial’s 2004 sales came in at around €20 million. Delial includes a complete range of sun care products (protection lotion, after sun, self tanning etc.) Patrick Rabain, chief executive and vice president of L’Oréal’s consumer products division said: “The acquisition of this brand means that L’Oréal will reinforce its position in the European solar protection market, especially in Southern Europe. The Delial range will join our Garnier portfolio and will benefit from solar filter technologies developed in the group’s laboratoriesâ€.

Source: L'Oréal

2005/08/30

Quest : Isabelle Parize appointed Group Vice President Fragrances

Quest has announced the appointment of Isabelle Parize as Group Vice President of the Fragrances business, and member of the Quest Board, effective from September 1st. Isabelle Parize brings over 20 years of global management, brand and marketing experience in leading home and personal care brands to Quest and its parent company, ICI. Isabelle Parize is a graduate (MBA) from the Ecole Superieure de Commerce in Paris and joins Quest from Group Canal Plus, the French Pay-TV business. Previously, Isabelle spent eight years with Schwarzkopf and Henkel in various international general management and senior marketing positions. She started her career at Procter & Gamble in brand and marketing management, with responsibility for several of the company’s leading brands. Isabelle, who is French, will be based at the Quest Fragrances worldwide headquarters in the UK.

Source: Quest International

2005/08/29

Market Research: Cosmetic and Toiletry Containers

US sales of cosmetic and toiletry containers will grow 4.7 percent annually through 2009. Advances will reflect favorable age distribution trends and heightened demand for cosmetics and toiletries with appearance-enhancing attributes. Value gains will outpace unit growth based on the importance of packaging as a selling point. This study analyzes the $3 billion US cosmetic and toiletry container industry. It presents historical demand data (1994, 1999, 2004) and forecasts to 2009 and 2014 by material (plastic, paperboard, glass, metal); by type (e.g., bottles, tubes, blister packs, deodorant/antiperspirant sticks, compacts, jars, pouches, folding cartons, aerosol cans, vials); and by market (e.g., hair care products, skin care products, oral hygiene products, cosmetics). The study also considers market environment indicators, details industry structure, evaluates company market share and profiles 45 major producers including Alcan, Graham Packaging, Silgan, Crown Holdings, Rexam, and US Can.

Source: Freedonia Research

2005/08/24

BASF increases capacity for dimethylaminopropylamine

BASF will raise its annual capacity to produce dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA) from 21,000 to 35,000 metric tons. The company thus responds to the worldwide increase in demand for this intermediate, which is used mainly to make particularly skin-friendly personal care products. As the world’s largest manufacturer, BASF produces DMAPA at two plants: one in Ludwigshafen, Germany; the other in Geismar, Louisiana/USA. The company will boost its capacity by taking a variety of measures to optimize the production at its Ludwigshafen plant.

Source: BASF

2005/08/23

Natural protection for the skin against environmental stressors

In the modern world, our skin is subjected as never before to environmental stressors. Scenarios such as leaving an air-conditioned building in summer, traveling between countries with very different climates, or entering an overheated shop in winter and then going back out into the cold can all be harmful to the skin, dehydrating it and altering its micro-relief. As a result, there is an increasing demand for skin care products that keep skin moisturized and feeling smooth and soft. To meet the needs of skin care product manufacturers, Laboratoires Sérobiologiques (LS), the active ingredient business of Cognis Care Chemicals, has developed PA ReviviscenceÂ® LS 9562, a long-lasting moisturizer based on an extract of Myrothamnus flabellifolia, a plant from the desert areas in South Africa.

Source: LS /Cognis

2005/08/18

Ciba Specialty Chemicals: Growth in Personal Care and Packaging

The development of the business overall was mixed, with good growth in Asia, especially China and India, as well as in South America, while Europe and NAFTA were flat. Demand in some customer industries, notably personal care and packaging, was strong. Sales for the period were up 9 percent in local currencies and 7 percent in Swiss francs. Sales prices were 2 percent higher than the first half of 2004 and were continually increased throughout the period. Volumes were up 7 percent over the first half of 2004. Estimated within this increase is an acquisition effect of approximately 10 percent, relating to Raisio Chemicals. Innovation remains a priority for the Company. During the first half of 2005, the high value, high technology pigments business was reinforced with the acquisition of Metasheen, a high reflectance aluminum technology. Together with the joint venture for pearlescent effect pigments in China and other technological cooperation in this field, Ciba Specialty Chemicals has now built up a strong product offering in the effect pigments market.

Source: Ciba Specialty Chemicals

2005/08/16

Symrise launches Ayurveda ingredients

Symrise has just launched a range of botanicals based on traditional Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurveda is the traditional Indian method of healing that has been practiced for over 5000 years and is considered the world’s oldest school of medicine. Ayurveda is a way of life with the goal of creating and maintaining a harmonious balance between body and soul. In keeping with the international trend towards alternative Indian and Asian methods of treatment, Symrise has now developed a range of Ayurvedic botanicals. In doing so, the corporation worked closely with Dr. Chandrakant Basole, an Indian expert who studied Ayurvedic medicine and has extensive knowledge of phytoscience and Ayurvedic plants. In India, these plants are used in many cosmetic products, and this trend is expected to expand in the western world as well. Ayurvedic plants and herbs are used in Indian cosmetics such as soaps, hair care and skin care products.

Source: Symrise

2005/08/16

Study: Tanning Can Become an Addiction

Some sun worshippers may actually be psychologically addicted to tanning, researchers report. The finding may explain why, despite widespread campaigns to alert people to the dangers of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, many people continue to sunbathe or use tanning booths.In two related studies, researchers also found that state laws can keep children from patronizing tanning booths, and that labeling a sunscreen "high protection" doesn't lull sunbathers into a false sense of security so that they stay in the sun longer. In the addiction study, researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston asked 145 area beachgoers a series of questions derived from questionnaires originally used to identify alcohol or drug abuse. They found that 26 percent to 53 percent of the beachgoers could be classified as UV-tanning-dependent.

Source: Health Day News

2005/08/16

Estée Lauder Companies Reports 9% Full Year Net Sales Growth

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. today reported net sales for its fiscal year ended June 30, 2005 of $6.34 billion, a 9% increase over the $5.79 billion reported in the prior year. Excluding the impact of foreign currency translation, net sales rose 7% for the year. In Europe, the Middle East & Africa, net sales increased 13% from the prior year to $2.12 billion, and rose 7% in local currency. The Company's travel retail business continued its strong recovery in the current year compared with the prior year. In constant currency, the Company experienced sales growth in most countries, led by travel retail, the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal, partially offset by lower sales in France, Italy and Germany. Operating profitability increased reflecting higher operating income in the Company's travel retail business, Spain, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, partially offset by lower results in France and Russia.

Source: Estée Lauder Companies

2005/08/16

Cognis half year results: continued growth in sales and earnings

In the six months to June 30, 2005, the global specialty chemicals supplier Cognis achieved net external sales of 1,602 million euros. This is an increase by 2.8 percent compared to the same period in 2004. Adjusted EBITDA grew by 1.1 percent to 200 million euros. CognisÂ’ sales excluding foreign currency effects and divestments increased in the first half year of 2005 by 5.2 percent over the first half year of 2004. Four of the companyÂ’s five Strategic Business Units (SBUs) Â– Care Chemicals, Nutrition & Health, Functional Products and Oleochemicals Â– achieved significant growth, with only the Process Chemicals SBU posting lower organic sales than in 2004. With sales up 9.1 percent to 629 million euros, Care Chemicals, CognisÂ’ largest SBU, achieved strong growth. The main growth drivers were strong sales of fatty alcohols and primary surfactants, and the continuing growth in sales of innovative, new products. Oleochemicals sales continued their upward trend, rising 6.0 percent to 224 million euros. This growth was mainly driven by higher sales for fatty acids. Oilfield chemicals reported higher sales specifically in the second quarter.

Source: Cognis

2005/08/10

Sara Lee Corp. sells direct selling business to Tupperware

Sara Lee Corporation announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of its direct selling business to Tupperware Corporation for $557 million in cash. The direct selling business, which markets cosmetics, skin care products, fragrances, toiletries and clothing in 18 countries, had been identified by Sara Lee as a business that would be sold as part of its Transformation plan, which was announced in February 2005. Today’s announcement comes earlier than was anticipated in that original plan. The transaction has been approved by both companies’ boards of directors and is expected to close in the second quarter of fiscal 2006, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Sara Lee’s direct selling operations, including Avroy Shlain, House of Fuller,

House of Sara Lee, NaturCare, Nutrimetics, Nuvó Cosméticos and Swissgarde, generated approximately $470 million in annual sales in fiscal 2005. In connection with the sale, Simon Hemus, president of Sara Lee direct selling, will join Tupperware to continue to lead this business and direct selling employees will become employees of Tupperware.

Source: Sara Lee

2005/08/08

Sanofi-Aventis divests its share in Wacker-Chemie

Hoechst AG, a subsidiary of sanofi-aventis, and the Wacker family signed a contract to restructure their shareholding in Wacker-Chemie GmbH. HoechstÂ’s complete remaining share in Wacker-Chemie of around 44.4 percent has been sold to a holding company controlled by the family. Consequently, the Wacker family has now gained 100-percent control in Wacker-Chemie. This divestment marks the end of an 84-year-old partnership between Hoechst AG and the Wacker family, dating back to the times when Wacker-Chemie was established. The parties agreed not to disclose any details of the transaction

Source: Wacker Chemie

2005/08/05

Ileos Germany receives DuPont Packaging Award

Maria Galland presents a 'high value' cosmetic line in jars molded with DuPont Surlyn resin and hot stamped and printed in different colors. The packaging optimization by long-term experienced Ileos GmbH with DuPont Surlyn, based on changing the material of the jar from glass to Surlyn and simplify technically the cap in ABS/PP with glued seals. The new material and technical concept developed and produced by Ileos GmbH lead to a remarkable cost and weight reduction, maintaining high quality optics and warm touch. Energy consumption and recyclability contribute as well to a sustainable package solution. The DuPont Awards for Innovation in Food Processing and Packaging were inaugurated in 1986 as an international industry competition.

The Awards recognize industry innovations that utilize plastic packaging materials in food and non-food categories. The non-food category recognizes innovations that use plastic packaging in industrial, cosmetic, medical or other non-food-related industries.

Source: DuPont

2005/08/03

Beiersdorf brands awarded "Superbrands" in Hungary

In 2005 as many as three brands distributed by Beiersdorf Kft. were recognized as Superbrands by the organization Superbrands Hungary: NIVEA, (skin care), Labello, (lip care), and Hansaplast (sticking plasters). Superbrands is an independent organiszation established in Great Britain in 1995 to remunerate brand building. Since then it has set up representations in more than 40 countries across four continents. The status of Superbrand is granted by an independent expert committee to a brand, “which has earned an excellent reputation in its own field” and offers customers significant “emotional and/or tangible benefits”.

Source: Beiersdorf

2005/08/03

Henkel stays the course with second-quarter results

In the second quarter of 2005, the Henkel Group was once again able to report significant increases in both sales and operating profit. In the second quarter of 2005, the Henkel Group generated sales of 3,009 million euros. This represents a 10.0 percent increase above the prior year, after adjusting for foreign exchange. Sales of the Cosmetics/Toiletries business sector exceeded the prior-year figure by 4.1 percent after adjusting for foreign exchange. Before adjustment it rose by 3,4 percent to 684 million euros. This was primarily due to organic sales growth increased to 3.1 percent, with Germany, Eastern Europe and the Middle East the primary contributors. In Europe, the hair cosmetics business portfolio was complemented through the introduction of the innovative colorant Poly Color Revital. In the body care business, the re-launch of the Fa care series showed a positive development. With new products, the skin care business under the Diadermine brand once again exhibited strong growth. In the oral care business, Theramed benefited from the launch of the Perfect Whitening Pen. The hair salon business was further expanded thanks to the overall positive development in Europe and a revamp of the Indola brand.

Source: Henkel

2005/08/03

Douglas takes over S.A. Lavigne

Parfümerie Douglas, the perfumery retail company, has taken over the French perfumery distribu-tors S. A. Lavigne, with about 150 retail outlets.

2005/08/03

Rosa Heinz working as Cosmeticpack's distributor in Germany

Rosa Heinz is now CosmetipackÂ’s distributor for Germany. Cosmetipack is the exclusive distributor for Dieter Bakic standard products in small quantities.

2005/08/01

P&G Delivers 15% Earnings Per Share Growth for Fiscal Year

April - June quarter sales up 10%, earnings per share up 12%

CINCINNATI, Aug. 1, 2005, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG) announced strong top- and bottom-line growth for the April - June quarter and the fiscal year. The company posted net sales growth of 10 percent for both the quarter and fiscal year. Diluted net earnings per share were $0.56 for the quarter, a 12 percent increase, and $2.66 for the fiscal year, a 15 percent increase. This is the fourth consecutive fiscal year the company delivered results at or above its long-term annual growth rate targets for sales, earnings per share and free cash flow productivity. Source: P&G

2005/08/01

2005/07/19

Colgate : Launch of adult anti-bacterial foaming handsoap

Colgate-Palmolive, maker of the USAÂ’s leading liquid hand soap brand -- has further broadened its selection of Airspray-powered foam dispensers with the launch of the manufacturerÂ’s first adult anti-bacterial instant-foam product.

ColgateÂ’s new SKU follow the retail successes of both its Softsoap Foam Worksä instant foaming hand soap for children, introduced in 2002, and of Dial Complete anti-bacterial foaming soap. The new Softsoap-branded foaming anti-bacterial soap is called Â“Advanced Protection.Â” This latest introduction by a leading multinational consumer product manufacturer further underscores the growth of the foaming hand soap market in the U.S. and abroad.

Source: Airspray

2005/07/01

New sales manager and new product group at Dr. Straetman's GmbH

Kurt Dieker, as sales manager at Dr. StraetmanÂ’s GmbH, is now selling the Dermosoft and Dermofeel products. He is also in charge sales of the new Amylomer products. Amylomer Hair Care is a complete, alternative system of renewable and nature based polysaccharides for hair care applications. Mr. Dieker was previously employed as Senior Account Manager for an international ingredients supplier, and has also held the post of product manager at Schwarzkopf.

2005/07/01

Management Board Changes at Henkel

The planned changes in the Management Board of Henkel KGaA have now taken place. Having reached the Company's mandatory retirement age, Klaus Morwind, Executive Vice President Laundry & Home Care, and Uwe Specht, Executive Vice President Cosmetics/Toiletries, have resigned from their offices as members of the Management Board of Henkel KGaA. Morwind's successor is Friedrich Stara (56). Specht's position has been taken over by Hans Van Bylen (44). Friedrich Stara has been with Henkel since 1976. Since 1998, Austrian-born Stara has been President of Henkel Central Eastern Europe, responsible for the overall Henkel business in Central and Eastern Europe, which is managed from Vienna, Austria. Hans Van Bylen has been with Henkel in various international positions since 1984. Following assignments in the Laundry & Home Care business sector, Belgian-born Van Bylen joined Cosmetics/Toiletries in 1991. Prior to his appointment to the Management Board, he was responsible for Henkel's international Hair Care and its overseas cosmetics business. Source: Henkel

2005/06/30

Symrise to restructure divisions: Aroma Chemicals

and Cosmetic Ingredients will become Symrise Sensory Ingredients

Symrise has consolidated its Aroma Chemicals and Cosmetic Ingredients divisions into one new entity, Symrise Sensory Ingredients (SSI). As a result, Symrise now has three divisions: Flavors, Fragrances and Sensory Ingredients. There are many advantages to consolidating the smaller Aroma Chemicals and Cosmetic Ingredients divisions into one large unit. These multi-facetted benefits include a better use of synergies and a more streamlined management structure. The new division also puts Symrise in a position to react to market trends quickly and flexibly as well as respond to consumers' expectations of products and brands. Source: Symrise

2005/06/30

Vitamin conspiracy trial:US Court denies responsibility

BASF Aktiengesellschaft is pleased with the decision by the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that U.S. courts lack jurisdiction to consider antitrust complaints of non-U.S. plaintiffs when there are no alleged domestic effects that proximately caused foreign injury. The decision in the Empagran case was reached on June 28, 2005 and held that plaintiffs could not base their antitrust claims in the United States on conduct that allegedly caused harm outside the United States. BASF Aktiengesellschaft was named as one of the defendants in the Empagran litigation, a federal class action filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia purportedly on behalf of all persons who purchased vitamins from the defendants outside the United States over a period of years. The Empagran complaint alleged that the plaintiffs were overcharged on their vitamins purchased as the result of a worldwide conspiracy among the defendants to fix vitamin prices.

Source: BASF

2005/06/29

Personnel Changes in the Lonza Management Team

Gerhard Klement has accepted the newly created position of Chief Technology Officer, Lonza Group. He will report to Stefan Borgas, Chief Executive Officer.The position of Chief Technology Officer, Lonza Group has been created to support the innovation projects and technology development needs identified by the Lonza Strategy.In his new position Gerhard Klement will be responsible for the investigation, improvement and development of new and current technologies for Lonza Group with a major focus on biotechnologies.

Source: Lonza

2005/06/29

P&G and Wella AG Announce Management Changes:

Dr. Heiner Gürtler Decides to Retire

The Procter & Gamble Company announced today that Dr. Heiner Gürtler will step down from his position as P&G Group President - Global Prestige & Professional Care and as CEO of Wella. He has separately advised the Wella AG Supervisory Board of his intention to resign from his position as Chairman of the Management Board (CEO) of Wella AG effective October 1, 2005. Procter & Gamble and the Wella Supervisory Board accepted his decision with deep regret. Under the leadership of Heiner Gürtler the global Professional business of Wella, Clairol, Prestige Beauté Fine Fragrances and Wella Cosmopolitan Cosmetics were successfully combined within one new organization - P&G Global Prestige & Professional Care.

Source: Wella

2005/06/24

Rudolf Dankwardt, founder of Nordwestdeutsche Aerosol- und Verpackungstechnik Rudolf Dankwardt GmbH has died at the age of

2005/06/24

CLR has acquired the global licence for sales of NLC (Nanaostructured Lipid Carrier), which was developed by R. H. Müller of PharmaSol GmbH.

2005/06/24

Coty plans to take over UnileverÂ’s fragrance business for a figure of 800 million US Dollars. The Unilever fragrance brands, which turned over 490 million Euros in 2004, include Calvin Klein, Cerruti, Vera Wang, Chloe and Lagerfeld. A production facility and distribution centre in Mount Olive (NJ) will also be taken over, as well as a sales centre in Lille, France.

2005/06/22

Kurt Dieker, as sales manager at Dr. StraetmanÂ’s GmbH, is now selling the Dermosoft and Dermofeel products. He was previously employed as Senior Account Manager for an international ingredients supplier, and has also held the post of product manager at Schwarzkopf.

2005/06/22

The Wella consumer brands Bristows, Crisan, Fixonia, Handsan, Lanosan and Vosene have been sold to the London-based Lornamead group. The brands represent 0.2 percent Procter & GambleÂ’s beauty division turnover.

2005/06/21

Following the takeover of Coletica by Engelhard, Stephen Lux now replaces the previous chairman and managing director Pierre Devictor. Frank Freiler, managing director of EngelhardÂ’s personal care division, is overseeing the integration of Coletica into EngelhardÂ’s global cosmetics business.

2005/06/21

Lameplast is now marketing the tailor-made filling machines for single-use packs, developed exclusively by Comas.

2005/06/21

Procter & GambleÂ’s Internet brand for individually tailored products, Reflect.com., in which the group is reported to have invested 60 million Dollars, is to be closed down. With an annual turnover of 7 million Dollars it is reported that 10 million products have been sold since the launch in 1999.

2005/06/09

FDA revises statement on animal testing

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) posted a revised statement on its Web site in reference to animal testing for cosmetics. According to the June 9, 2005, revised statement on www.cfsan.fda.gov , the group is responsible for assuring the safety of cosmetics through the enforcement of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), related statutes, and regulations promulgated under these laws. The FD&C Act does not require the use of animals in testing for safety, however, the agency advises cosmetic manufacturers to employ whatever testing is appropriate and effective for substantiating the safety of their products.

Source: FDA website

Login

News Archive 2007

February 2007

January 2007

News Archive 2006

December 2006

November 2006

News October 2006

News September 2006

News August 2006

News July 2006

News June 2006

News May 2006

News April 2006

News March 2006

News February 2006

News January 2006

News Archive 2005

News December 2005

News November 2005

News October 2005

News September 2005

August 2005

Free Newsletter >>