The acquisition will benefit DSM, which specialises in nutritional and pharma ingredients, performance materials and industrial chemicals, allowing the company to capitalise on Pentapharm's established position in the development and production of active ingredients for the cosmetics industry.
"We are very pleased with this acquisition, as it further enriches our existing Personal Care portfolio of vitamins and sun-filters with highly specialised actives based on innovative technologies" said Krijn Rietveld, Senior Vice President and Head of New Business Development, DSM Nutritional Products.
"Pentapharm's products and brands are well-positioned and are an attractive platform for launching some of the new products we have in the pipeline" , said Rietveld.
Switzerland-based Pentapharm has received industry recognition for its innovation capabilities, primarily focused on self-tanning, body slimming and whitening products.
The company has ridden the global wellness trend that is rocking in the personal care industry at present, with its cosmetic active ingredients, such as an anti-wrinkle synthetic tripeptide, and Vialox, a topical alternative to botox injections, reporting high growth rates.
Making use of this knowledge, DSM has pledged that the acquisition will strengthen its position as the leading global supplier of active ingredients for skin and sun care.
Financial details of the acquisition have not been disclosed.
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This is a great step in boosting our innovation potential in Personal Care, one of the key areas we are committed to build in order to achieve the ambitious growth targets set out in our Vision 2010 strategy", said Stephan Tanda, member of the managing board of DSM and responsible for the Nutrition Cluster of DSM.
DSM has carved its name out in the pharma and nutra field, where it has established niches in food and beverage, dietary supplements as well as animal feed.
Its move into the personal care and cosmetic field has been more recent, but it is now establishing a reputation in this area for ingredients and building blocks used in UV absorbants, hairsprays, soaps, creams and shampoos.
Those ingredients include vitamins, carotenoids, emulsifiers, polyunsaturated acids, citrates and a range of other fine chemicals.
The company launched two new ingredients earlier this year, aimed at improving skin health, as well as providing anti-ageing properties.
Radiance CR is an active complex, which the company says has been designed to beautify the skin through its ability to help smooth and lighten the skin using a patented scientific method.
This ingredient is aimed at the growing market for skin lightening products, which are increasingly being associated as anti-ageing due to the ability to lighten the skin by specifically targeting the duller complexion and age spots associated with ageing.