The new plant will produce two lines of polymers; one for cosmetics applications, and one for oil and mining and is the result of a two-year investment totaling €16 million, and has led to the creation of 32 new jobs at the site.
New plant
"As Clariant continues to grow, we need to strike a balance between performance, people and planet," says Michael Riedel, head of Regional Business Line EMEA, BU ICS.
"With our new AMPS polymers plant, we believe we have achieved a perfect harmony between these three key elements. We have looked at what our customers need and we are now in a position to deliver the solutions to meet those needs, using the most efficient and sustainable technology available to us, operated and administered by experts in the field."
The Basel-based company has incorporated the most modern process technology available into the new plant, leading to an energy consumption that is far lower than has been possible with previous technologies. The plant is already certified to Certificate ISO 22716:2007.
The cosmetic ingredients to be produced at the plant are Hostacerin and Aristoflex emulsifiers and rheology modifiers for use in face creams and other skin care applications.
Clariant claims
Polysulfonates intended for cosmetic applications are pre-neutralized, easy to use and enable the production of very stable formulations with good yield.
Clariant says that emulsions formulated with Hostacerin, for example, provide favourable shear thinning effects and viscoelastic properties, as well as good sensorial properties.
“AMPS polymers enable the production of cream-gels free of additional emulsifier, opening the way to novel formulations with special rheological profiles (creamy, non-tacky for example) and superior skin compatibility,” it says.
The resulting compositions are light and creamy, differing noticeably from the gelatin-like characteristics often obtained when formulating with traditional thickeners.