Colgate closes soap plant

Colgate-Palmolive is to shut down itsbar soap plant in Kansas City, KS, bylate 2006. Starting in 3Q 2005,Colgate will obtain productionservices for bar soap from anundisclosed, established US thirdparty in order to increase itscompetitiveness in the US bar soapsegment. The closure is expected tolead to total after-tax charges of $55M. The Kansas plant currentlyemploys around 250 people. Soapwas first produced at the site in 1872by Peet Brothers, one of theforerunners of Palmolive.

Chemical Market Reporter, 27 Jun 2005 (Website:http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com)

Unilever’s new Brazilian plant

A new facility for the production ofpersonal hygiene and cleaningproducts is to be inaugurated byUnilever at Ipojuca in Pernambuco,Brazil, on 10 Jun 2005 at a cost ofR$63 M. Spray deodorants,shampoos, hair conditioners andcreams, toothpastes and fabricsofteners, will be produced. Thefacility will have a production capacityof around 80,000 tonnes/y. About10,000 tonnes/y will be exported.

Gazeta Mercantil, 9 Jun 2005 (Website:http://www.gazeta.com.br)

Other

Huntsman launches Surfonaminerange for pigment dispersions

In Europe Huntsman PerformanceProducts is promoting its innovativeSurfonamine® range ofpolyetheramines for use in theformulation of pigment dispersionsand pastes for industrial andconsumer paint, ink and coatingapplications. The company saysthese products can be used forpigment modification, for thesynthesis of unique dispersantmolecules, and as stabilization agentsand dispersion aids. Specificallycreated to meet increased marketdemand for aqueous paint and inkformulations, they can play a criticalrole in dictating final formulationproperties. Available in hydrophilicand hydrophobic forms, Surfonamineamines lower viscosity and reduce

shear thinning. Huntsman says theycan be used to increase pigmentloading in aqueous dispersions orpigment pastes, and to produceformulations that have greaterstability over time, better ink transferand improved colour density. Anumber of Surfonamine products (L-100, L-200, L-207 and L-300 aminesin the hydrophilic range and B-60, B-100 and B-200 amines in thehydrophobic range) are currentlyavailable for customer sampling

Press release from: Huntsman Performance Products,Everslaan 45, 3078 Everberg, Belgium. Tel: +32 2 7589211. Fax: +32 2 758 9946. Website:http://www.huntsman.com/performance_products (5May 2005)

BioOil-hydrocarbon emulsionsuccessfully tested

DynaMotive Energy Systems Corpworking with environmental solutionscompany Ivey International Inc havesuccessfully emulsified BioOil withhydrocarbon diesel. The goal of theemulsification testing is to allow forco-burning of a BioOil/diesel mix instationary engines. BioOil and dieselare generally not miscible; mixingthem requires an emulsifying agent.Ivey’s patented Ivey-sol Surfactantformulations were used to achieve theblending of 20% BioOil with 80%commercial diesel fuel. Preliminaryfindings met the required objectives,with successful blending stabilityexceeding 60 minutes. Additionaltesting is planned to further extendthe stability of the blend. Ifsuccessfully developed, a productthat permits BioOil to supplementdiesel fuel will open a major marketfor both DynaMotive and Ivey.

Press release from: DynaMotive, Angus CorporateCentre, 1700, West 75th Avenue, Suite 105,Vancouver, BC V6P 6G2, Canada. Tel: +1 604 2676013. Fax: +1 604 267 6005. Website:http://www.dynamotive.com (22 Jun 2005)

PATENTSColgate-Palmolive patentsdishwashing liquid

Colgate-Palmolive has obtainedPatent No US 6,884,764 B2 for itsantibacterial liquid dish cleaningcomposition containing water, apreservative, sodium salt, magnesium

salt, ammonium, a zwitterionicsurfactant, a hydroxy having organicacid, an alkyl polyglucosidesurfactant, and a solubilizing system.

HAPPI, Household & Personal Products Industry, Jun2005, 42 (6), 28

New fabric softener patented by P&G

The Procter & Gamble Co has beenawarded Patent No US 6,881,717 B1for a solid fabric softening componentthat contains a flocculating agent, atleast 5% of a surfactant system, atleast 15% of a solid carrier material,and a clay.

HAPPI, Household & Personal Products Industry, Jun2005, 42 (6), 28

Milborn earns patent for cleaningcomposition

Milborn Enterprises LLC has obtainedPatent No US 6,887, 840 B2 for aniron sulfide cleaning compositionhaving glacial acetic acid,hydrochloric acid, formaldehyde orglutaraldehyde, methanol, 2-butoxyethanol, isopropyl alcohol,surfactant intermediate, surfactant/corrosion inhibitor, and water.

HAPPI, Household & Personal Products Industry, Jun2005, 42 (6), 28

MARKETREVIEWS

I&I cleaning chemicals faceincreasing price pressures

The industrial and institutionalcleaning products market isexperiencing a phase of consolidationand sensitive pricing issues. Cleaningproducts are used in the serviceindustries where there is alwayspressure to reduce costs. Producersof higher value raw materials arefaced with squeezed margins. In2004, the US market for food servicecleaning products was $1.7 bn andthe overall cleaning products marketin the US was valued at $9 bn. 75%of the world market for cleaningchemicals is accounted for by the USand European markets.

Chemical Market Reporter, 6 Jun 2005 (Website:http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com)

6 AUGUST 2005

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