German chemical and biotech giant BASF is set to expand its production capacity for alkyl polyglucosides (APGs) at its site Cincinnati, Ohio.
Due to start in 2025, the increased production would strengthen the company’s production footprint in the USA, allowing it to increase local supply points and reduce cross-regional volume flows for North American APG customers, BASF said on 6 June.
“This expansion will enable the future of bio-based and biodegradable surfactants worldwide by offering diverse applications for personal care and home care, as well as industrial and institutional cleaning and industrial formulations,” BASF president of care chemicals Mary Kurian said.
APGs are commonly used in home care formulations involving skin contact, such as washing up liquids, shower gels and shampoos. They are also used in a range of applications, including facial cleansing, oral care and personal care. In addition, they are used in the food industry and agro-chemical sectors.
BASF’s APGs are made from fatty alcohols derived from sustainable palm kernel oil or coconut oil, and glucose from wheat or corn – non-genetically-modified (GMO) sources – in Europe.
The company’s 100% plant-based APG range, traded as Plantacare, has been developed for the cosmetics industry.
BASF currently produces APGs in Dusseldorf, Germany; Cincinnati, USA; and Jinshan, China.
The expansion of the company’s regional production capacities in North America was driven by growing global demand, BASF said.
BASF’s Cincinnati site produces a range of personal care, detergents and agriculture applications.
