Elkem Silicones rebrands to Bluestar after majority acquisition

Elkem Silicones has rebranded as Bluestar Silicones, returning to its previously held name. The move follows Bluestar’s acquisition of the majority of Elkem’s Silicone division in late April, marking a milestone in the global silicone manufacturer’s transition.

Previously, Elkem Silicones had already operated under the name Bluestar Silicones between 2007 and 2017. The revival of the name is said to reconnect the company to a brand globally recognized in the industry.

The rebrand has introduced the tagline “Living the difference” and a new visual identity to represent its “forward-looking ambition and distinct position in the silicones market.”

“Returning to the Bluestar Silicones name reconnects us with an established brand and a recognized heritage while expressing our renewed ambition for the future,” says Sandy Chen, head of Bluestar Silicones.

“This is both a continuity move and a step forward for our company, our people, our customers, and our partners.”

Following the rebrand, the company, now Bluestar, will continue to deploy a phased transition that will progress over the next few months as the updated brand identity is executed across touchpoints and markets.

According to the company, the transition is designed to be smooth and non-disruptive for customers and partners. As the overarching move aims to amplify ambitions in capabilities, innovation, and sustainability, the transitional period is said to maintain Elkem’s previous operations, products, and relationships.

The company states that manufacturing sites, production processes, raw materials, product names, and commercial trademarks will remain unchanged.

“Bluestar’s ambition is to build on the company’s strong industrial, scientific, and commercial foundation to further invest in its development as a leading global player, while continuing to serve customers with the proximity, agility, market understanding, and application expertise they have come to know us for,” adds Chen. 

Sustainable silicones

Bluestar Silicones says the transition will be smooth and non-disruptive for customers and partners.

Shortly before Bluestar purchased the majority stake in Elkem’s silicone division, Elkem expanded its Puresil portfolio by launching three sustainable ingredients for cosmetic formulations,

The low-cyclic silicone ingredients for cosmetic formulations included two eco-designed ingredients and a versatile emulsifier, and were touted to provide products with desirable sensoriality and high efficacy while maintaining sustainability as a focus.

The launch came as the personal care industry continues to move away from silicones as ecological concerns and potential bans loom. At the time, Elkem emphasized sustainability as a primary characteristic of its silicone-based expansion.

“Consumers increasingly expect beauty products that deliver both a luxurious sensorial experience and reliable performance, while staying true to their environmental values,” said Feifei Lin, global marketing manager of Personal Care at Elkem Silicones at the time.