MARKETREVIEWS

US speciality household cleanersmarket is expected to reach $7.9 bnby 2018

According to a new market reportpublished by Transparency MarketResearch, Speciality householdcleaners market – US industryanalysis, market size, share, trendsand forecast, 2012-2018, this USmarket is expected to reach $7.9 bnby 2018 from $5.1 bn in 2011, at aCAGR of 6.6% from 2012 to 2018.Comprising hard surface cleaners,glass cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners,auto polishes and others, this marketis driven by factors such as increasedfocus on hygiene among new ageconsumers, rising demand for greenproducts, increased usage ofconvenient products and populardependence on lifestyle and homeexperts, the report finds. In addition,the increasing numbers of workingwomen in the US population, growingconcerns over spread of infectiousdiseases and rising per capitadisposable income is also supportingthe growth of this market. The hardsurface cleaners segment is in acommanding position, and accountedfor more than 44% of the total USspeciality household cleaners marketin 2011 at $2.3 bn. It is also thefastest growing segment and isexpected to reach $3.6 bn by 2018. Interms of applications, bathroomcleaners hold the majority of themarket share. Reckitt Benckiser is theleading player in the US specialityhousehold cleaners industry, withClorox, Procter & Gamble, Unilever,Henkel, SC Johnson, Kao, andChurch and Dwight also majorplayers.

Original Source: Transparency Market Research,2012. Found on PR Newswire, 6 Dec 2012, (Website:http://www.prnewswire.com)

Natural ingredients’ success altersbusiness plans in the personal careactive ingredients market

The growing green consciousness inthe Asia-Pacific is pushing consumersto choose premium natural personalcare products, instead of products

containing synthetic ingredients.Higher affordability is also a factor inthe switch. The Asia-Pacific personalcare active ingredients market reeledin revenues of $116.6 M in 2011 andis forecast to generate revenues of$176.4 M in 2017, according to Frost& Sullivan.

Original Source: NutraCos Cosmetics, Sep/Dec 2012,2 (3), 21 (Website: http://www.b5srl.com) © B5 srl2012

European natural brands focus ondistribution as growth rates slow

The European natural and organicpersonal care products marketachieved single-digit growth in 2012,according to new research by OrganicMonitor. The slowing growth rate isblamed on the debt crisis that isaffecting retailers and consumerexpenditures. To cope with currentmarket conditions, leading brands aretargeting new distribution channels forgrowth, including drugstores,pharmacies, beauty retailers anddepartment stores. Specialistretailers, the traditional channel fornatural and organic brands, continueto generate most sales, with a 40%market share.

Original Source: NutraCos Cosmetics, Sep/Dec 2012, 2(3), 22 (Website: http://www.b5srl.com) © B5 srl 2012

COMPANYNEWS

A new Solvay organization gearedtowards sustainable, value-creativegrowth

Solvay has redesigned itsorganization, with a far-reachingreview of business processes andcorporate functions, and a focus onsimplifying and decentralizing itsmanagement structure. Thanks tothese changes, the group believes itis more agile and in a better positionto seize growth opportunities, whilstkeeping customer focus, operationalexcellence, corporate socialresponsibility and innovation insustainable chemistry at the top of itspriorities. ‘Today’s Solvay is the resultof the successful integration of Solvayand Rhodia [Focus on Surfactants,

Jun 2011] and an extensivetransformation. Through themobilization of our teams, we havemanaged to convert the two formercompanies into one of the ten largestchemical companies worldwide. Ournew signature, ‘Asking more fromchemistry,’ is more than a pledge; it’sa vision and a challenge to which weare fully committed,’ says Jean-PierreClamadieu, chairman of Solvay’sexecutive committee.

In line with Solvay’s areas ofexpertise, the new businessorganization has five operatingsegments, effective from 1 Jan 2013:Consumer Chemicals, AdvancedMaterials, Performance Chemicals,Functional Polymers and CorporateBusiness and Services. With theircomprising global business units(GBU), they are committed todelivering growth, profits and cashgeneration in the short and mid-term.The GBUs focus on customers andmarkets, and are endowed with therelevant operational levers to executetheir strategic roadmaps.

Consumer Chemicals serves theconsumer products markets. Itsstrategy is based on the developmentof a sustainable offering suited to themajor market mega trends ofdemographic growth, emergingmarkets’ increasing purchase power,the appearance of new modes ofconsumption and a demand for safer,more sustainable and bio-basedsolutions. Within this segment, SolvayNovecare offers solutions based onspeciality surfactants, polymers,amines, solvents, guar and phosphorusderivatives for the agrochemicals,coatings, home & personal care,industrial manufacturing, and oil & gasindustries. Novecare strengthened itssurfactant position with the successfulacquisitions of US-based personal caremanufacturer the McIntyre Group,China’s leading amines and surfactantsproducer Feixiang Chemicals andlately with Sunshield Chemicals Ltd, anIndian surfactants producer [ibid, Dec2012]. Based in Cranbury, NJ, USA,Novecare employs >3300professionals and operates 25production sites and 7 R&D centresworldwide. The Consumer Chemicalssegment also includes AromaPerformance and Coatis. Chlor-Chemicals, which encompasses all ofthe group’s European chlorine-relatedactivities including caustic soda, is

6 MARCH 2013

F O C U S O N S U R F A C T A N T S