Press Room

August 28, 2006

German Version 

Cognis at the 2006 SEPAWA congress – tailored solutions for the wellness trend

The 53rd SEPAWA congress will take place from October 11 to 13, 2006 in Würzburg, Germany and Cognis Care Chemicals (booths 39 and 40) will present a range of tailored products and solutions that serve the global wellness trend. These will be for home and personal care applications and will include special polymers for household cleaners, and emulsifiers which give products a particularly pleasant sensory profile. Cognis will also be holding numerous presentations on its other solutions that meet the growing demand for innovative products, and the company’s concept of well-being, “Feelosophy”, will be the main theme of its booth at the SEPAWA.

Today’s consumers expect more from their personal and home care products than just functional benefits such as cleaning and care – they want a holistic product experience that appeals to all of their senses, and enhances their well-being. Because of this, Cognis Care Chemicals product concepts are developed taking into account all the properties of a product that influence how it is experienced: perception, feel, effect and usage. SEPAWA will see Cognis present this new concept of well-being – which it calls its “Feelosophy” – to the European detergent and cleaning product industry.

Innovations for superior performance and greater ease of use
Consumers are increasingly choosing products that are environmentally friendly and are produced using natural ingredients. In response to this trend, Cognis has developed an exceptionally mild, easy-to-apply surfactant blend that is free of alkyl sulfates, betaine, ethylene oxide and preservatives, and at the same time offers exceptional performance. Therefore, it is particularly suitable for use in the manufacture of 'green', mild body, hair and face cleansers, as well as baby cleansing products and professional shampoos.

In the home care segment, there is a clear trend towards products that offer greater washing and cleaning power, while also being easy to use. At the congress, Cognis will present a range of special polymers that can be used in any kind of household cleaner and offer long lasting cleaning effects. These special additives also deliver streak-free shine on different surfaces and make the whole cleaning process simpler, faster and more effective.

Cognis presentations – holistic ideas for wellness-products
Throughout SEPAWA 2006, Cognis Care Chemicals will give a range of presentations on its products and concepts:

• Hair can be damaged by constant combing, washing and blow drying, as well as environmental factors such as UV rays. On the first day of SEPAWA, Norbert Boyxen will present a modern care concept that regenerates and cares for damaged hair.
• Day one will also see Nicole Kurth discuss innovative emulsifiers that serve the latest trends in skin care. The right combination of special emulsifiers can create innovative and highly effective products, and at the same time offer consumers an exceptional sensory product experience.
• On the third day of the congress, Dr. Sabine Both will explain a new method for measuring the drying performance of automatic dishwashing detergents. This exceptionally accurate measuring device enables Cognis and its customers to develop tailored solutions with improved performance.
• Also on the third day of SEPAWA, Ute Griesbach will be discussing botanical extracts. She will focus on the claims made about the effects of plant extracts and their detection limits in the final product. The ability to prove the effectiveness of active ingredients and to analyze them accurately helps cosmetic manufacturers market their products.

Accelerated growth with wellness ideas
The European market for personal and home care products and industrial cleaning applications is a very challenging one. Consumers are increasingly demanding multi-functional products, such as the combination of outstanding cleaning with exceptional sensory characteristics. They also expect household products to be easy to use and effective. “Cognis goes well beyond the customer alignment adopted by traditional chemicals suppliers. We develop product concepts based on consumer needs, offering holistic experiences that directly improve their quality of life,” comments Dr. Iris Hütter, Market Segment Manager Hair/Body/Oral Care. “Our ‘Feelosophy’ approach allows us to serve not only current trends, but also provide impetus for new markets.”

About Cognis
Cognis is a worldwide supplier of innovative specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients, with a particular focus on the areas of wellness and sustainability. 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 the joint venture Cognis Oleochemicals, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of oleochemicals.

Cognis is owned by private equity funds advised by Permira, GS Capital Partners, and SV Life Sciences. In 2005, Cognis recorded sales of 3.18 billion euros and an Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization and exceptional items) of 356 million euros.

Contact
Raquel Ark, Corporate Communications Manager
Cognis Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG
Phone: +49-2173-4995-464
E-mail: raquel.ark@cognis.com
Internet: www.cognis.com