US personal care supplier sets up in UK

The Delaware-based company said the plant was built over a period of eight months at a cost of $1.2m (€877,000) and production started up last month to produce Finsolv TN, an ester that was previously manufactured at the company's plant in Spencer, North Carolina.

The main purpose of locating the plant in the UK is the fact that the company intends to make significant cost savings on freight as well as shortening the supply chain, enabling it to better supply the product line to customers outside of the US, where demand for the product line is greater.

"The opening of our new plant is a key step forward toward our objective of making this division a truly global business," said Paul Jennings, Innospec CEO.

"This highlights our commitment to the specialty personal care segment of our business and its promising growth prospects."

The new plant is part of a growing European manufacturing base, that also includes an aroma manufacturing palnt for its personal care fragrance Lilestralis, in Widnes, UK.

Esters are a family of compounds, most commonly categorized at carboxylic acid esters.

When volatile they often carry a fruity fragrance which is commonly used in perfumes and fragrances, but they can also be used to enhance skin feel and texture.

Finsolve TN is a virtually odorless emollient that has been produced for sun care and skin care products to obtain a non-greasy emollient feel at the same time as having a lubricating effect for the formulation.

It also has a high spreading coefficient and is pH neutral.

The company itself was launched in January 2006, and its range of Finsolv esters have rapidly evolved as one of its leading product lines.

Finsolv SLB-101 and Finsolv SLB-201 are the latest edition to the company's ester line, forming a family that currently includes at least half a dozen other ingredients.