Evonik has officially opened its new “double-digit million-euro” production plant for cosmetic emollients at Steinau, Germany. This will use an enzymatic esterification process from the company’s biotechnology platform to convert vegetable oils. “This investment helps us lower our footprint, while supporting the beauty industry in its transformation – meeting the demand for more responsible, eco-friendly solutions,” said Johann-Caspar Gammelin, president of the Nutrition & Care division.

Lubrizol has opened its Beauty Research Institute in Shanghai. The company said that this will “serve as a strategic hub to further grow in vivo beauty testing capabilities, applying decision science to enable next-generation beauty ingredients, empower innovation collaboration and enhance speed to market” for its customers in the region.

BASF is to end production of three chemicals at its main site in Ludwigshafen. This is part of an ongoing strategic review that is being undertaken “to ensure competitiveness under changing market conditions” and will lead to about 180 job cuts.

Wanhua Chemical of China has commissioned its 48,000 tonnes/year citral facility, which is the largest single-unit production plant of its kind in the world. This completes a 13-year journey that began with small-scale trials in 2011.

Industrial biotechnology specialist Ingenza is collaborating with Cellugy, a Danish start-up, to accelerate the development of the latter’s platform for the production biofabricated cellulose. This ultimately aims to provide a sustainable alternative to fossil-based petrochemicals in various industrial applications, starting with personal care.

Barentz International has acquired distributors in two different regions in short order. The acquisition of Insuqui in Paraguay followed a few weeks after that of the Anshul Life Sciences Group in India. Terms were not disclosed in either deal and the existing management teams will remain in place.

Gatemore Capital Management has published a second open letter to John O’Higgins, chairman of the board at UK-based speciality chemicals company Elementis. This follows its first such letter on 29 April and the company’s official response.