Solvay extends production of sustainable guar-polymers at Melle, France facility

15 Mar 2022 --- In response to growing demand, Belgium-based chemicals company Solvay is increasing the productive capacities for its Jaguar brand guar-based polymers at its facility in Melle, France. The move is good news for its beauty care customers within the region, who will benefit from a localized supply chain for the natural polymers.

The project to extend the factory’s capacity is expected to be completed in Q2, 2022. Eric Leroy, global marketing director of Beauty Care & Health Care at Solvay tells PersonalCareInsights:

“The capacity expansion project aims at debottlenecking the existing guar production lines to guarantee our high level of service considering also the demand for our bio-based products, which is highly appreciated in the beauty care industry.” He says the demand is driven by the beauty market starting to prefer bio-based materials over synthetic ones, in line with the clean beauty trend.

Guar polymers are used in cosmetics as a thickener and stabilizer to ensure optimal texture in items like skin and hair creams.Leroy highlights that global supply chains are still challenged by the COVID-19 global pandemic: “Especially, we are now facing significant disruption of sea shipment in all regions, which is not forecasted to improve soon.”

As a result, he says, Solvay has to become more agile in terms of operations to absorb the uncertainty and delays in the sea shipment flows and strengthen local production.”

Solvay is one of the world’s foremost suppliers of guar derivatives. Last year, the company reported its activities had yielded €10.1 billion (US$11 billion) in net sales. The company produces guar derivatives in the US, in China and France.

Solvay is solving sustainability challenges
Solvay’s Jaguar range of guar polymers can be included in an array of formulas, aiding in the conditioning and texturing of a product. The environmentally sustainable polymers are intended to suit market needs for natural, climate-responsible ingredients.

Eric Leroy, global marketing innovation director for Solvay, says the company has a “longstanding commitment” to guar technology and its guar range. He affirms the company seeks to support its customers with environmentally sustainable solutions in line with the Solvay One Planet initiative, a holistic approach to generating sustainability and robust supply chains.

Solvay sources the seeds used to produce the Jaguar range from India via its Sustainable Guar initiative, which educates local farmers in climate-friendly agricultural practices and acquaints them with technology to increase their bottom lines. As of 2021, participant farmers have increased their yield by 125% since the program began in 2015.

In December, the company connected farmers with BanQu’s blockchain technology to promote “digital autonomy.”

The same month, Solvay Ventures – the company’s venture capital branch – invested in DMC Biotechnologies, a US biotechnology company specializing in scalable biocatalysts through microbial fermentation.

By Olivia Nelson

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