Evonik acquires Air Products specialty cosmetic additives and delivery unit

Published: 14-Feb-2017

Evonik’s acquisition provides a base for improved formulation, actives delivery and also a move into hairstyling

We are adding interesting products to our actives and polymer portfolio for the cosmetics industry along with a highly attractive formulation technology. Dr. Tammo Boinowitz, head of the Personal Care Business Line at Evonik.

The proprietary know-how of the former Air Products Schlüchtern GmbH includes a number of innovative encapsulation technologies for active cosmetic ingredients and multifunctional polymers. Using a variety of membrane-forming lipids, the active ingredients can be packaged into tiny vesicles, which serve as protective transport aids.

They enable us to deliver active ingredients specifically to the desired action site in the skin to improve the bioavailability of active ingredients and modulate their release. That also has additional positive effects, such as the stabilization of sensitive cosmetic ingredients,” Michael Sacher, head of Personal Care Delivery Systems.

These technologies open up many new opportunities for innovative product development at Evonik. “It is conceivable, for example, to deliver innovative actives from the Evonik portfolio to deeper skin layers to enhance their efficacy,” says Sacher.

Thanks to the newly added polymers, Evonik is also moving into the field of hairstyling. “The acquisition is another step toward the goal of becoming the leading specialty provider for cosmetic ingredients,” notes Boinowitz.

Sources confirmed that the acquisition is centred around the Rovi Cosmetics unit acquired by Air Products in 2012. The unit will remain at it's current base but there will be an integration of culture, knowledge and technologies to ensure Evonik can fully leverage the benefits across its cosmetics' actives business.

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