Press Room

March 13, 2006

German Version 

Cognis Care Chemicals: a new approach for a holistic product experience themed “Feelosophy”

As life becomes ever more hectic and complex, consumers are constantly on the look-out for new ways to unwind. As a result, they want cosmetic products not only to deliver the functional benefits they promise, but also give them a sense of well-being, by offering a holistic product experience that appeals to all their senses. Drawing on its unique combination of competencies, Cognis Care Chemicals develops concepts and solutions that enable manufacturers to achieve just that. The approach of Cognis focuses on the main consumer demands in the context of well-being and centers on four key dimensions to achieve a holistic product experience: perception, feel, effect and usage. Cognis unveiled its new understanding of wellness at this year’s PCIA, under the name of “Feelosophy”.

The global wellness trend – people’s increasing concern with their physical and mental well-being – affects every area of our lives. But people’s understanding of what wellness means is becoming more sophisticated, and consumers are increasingly looking for cosmetic products that stimulate all of their senses. Cognis Care Chemicals provides product concepts that take into account various ways in which consumers experience a product. The Strategic Business Unit possesses the necessary competency building blocks to give formulators precise control over four key dimensions in a holistic product experience:

• Perception: Cognis researches what consumers truly perceive – even sometimes beyond what they can verbally describe. Under real application conditions, Cognis scientifically analyzes emotions using individual consumer test designs like objective emotional assessment and home use tests.
• Feel: For more than 20 years, Cognis has been perfecting the method of sensory assessment and thus it understands what consumers actually feel on their skin and hair. Cognis closely studies the senses of sight, hearing and specifically touch, and utilizes this information when developing new ingredients and concepts.
• Effect: Cognis’ active and performance ingredients and compounds deliver specific effects, which the company is able to prove scientifically. Cognis ensures their effectiveness on a high quality level by a specific selection of well-established and continuously developed methods.
• Usage: Cognis provides a range of technologies for the personal and home care market that offer convenience benefits in consumers’ daily lives. These innovative technologies allow manufacturers to create products that are less complex, and easier and less time-consuming to use.

Major consumer demand in the wellness category include repair, stimulation, aging prevention, protection and safety. In the home care sector, the key demand is easy household. Cognis’ wellness-oriented product concepts are specifically designed to meet these demands. They make full use of the company’s competencies in areas such as formulation, and technology as well as performance know-how, are manufactured from natural raw materials, and are influenced by the Cognis’ years of marketing experience and awareness of consumer behavior across different markets.

Ready for the markets of the future
The proportion of income spent on wellness products is increasing constantly. In 1995, the global wellness market was worth 100 billion US dollars, by 2001 the figure had risen to more than 200 billion dollars, and by 2010 it is expected to reach 1,000 billion dollars. “Products that offer a holistic experience and improve quality of life will be the main driver of growth in the cosmetic chemicals market of the future,” explains Bettina Jackwerth, Global Marketing Director Skin Care. “With our “Feelosophy” we are prepared for consumers more ambitious expectations regarding home and personal care products: an all embracing product experience.”

About Cognis
Cognis is a worldwide supplier of innovative specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients. The company employs about 8,000 people, and it operates production sites and service centers in 30 countries. Cognis has dedicated its activities to a high level of sustainability and delivers natural source raw materials and ingredients for food, nutrition and healthcare markets, and the cosmetics, detergents and cleaners industries. Another main focus is on products for a number of other industries, such as coatings and inks, lubricants, textiles, as well as agriculture and mining. The company holds a 50-percent stake in Cognis Oleochemicals, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of natural-source oleochemical basestocks.

Cognis is owned by private equity funds advised by Permira, GS Capital Partners, and SV Life Sciences. In 2004, Cognis recorded sales of 3.07 billion euros and an Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization and exceptional items) of 362 million euros.

Contact
Wulf Klüppelholz, Corporate Communications Manager
Cognis Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG
Phone: +49-2173-4995-221
E-mail: wulf.klueppelholz@cognis.com
Internet: www.cognis.com