BASF has signed two distinct partnerships agreements to expand its position in biobased surfactants. These deals were made, the company said, in response to “the ever-increasing needs of consumers for sustainable, natural and biodegradable ingredients and actives”.

BASF has taken a majority stake in Allied Carbon Solutions (ACS), a Japanese maker of biomass-derived surfactants. This includes an exclusive technology cooperation, a commercial agreement and joint product development in sophorolipids, a class of glycolipids, for use in surfactants with targeted performance.

Libra Speciality Chemicals has broken ground on a multi-million-pound capital investment programme at its site in Irlam, UK. This will see new technology installed to produce novel low-salt betaines, while expanding the existing plant’s capacity from 32,000 to 50,000 tonnes/year.

Solvay Group has agreed to sell its North American and European amphoteric surfactant business to Los Angeles private equity firm OpenGate Capital. This is expected to close by the end of March, subject to consultation and regulatory approvals. Terms were not disclosed.

Azelis has acquired a majority stake in two Vietnamese firms, MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemicals, via their parent company Bellekimia Singapore. This continues a recent spree of acquisitions and investments in Asia for the global distributor.

Both companies were founded in 2000 and have offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. They are active in personal care, industrial chemicals, agrochemicals and food, with about 700 customers. They also have personal care laboratories.

French bio-based surfactants firm SurfactGreen has received €4.7 million in investment, with €3.1 million in grants and repayable advances from ADEME and Bpifrance and €1.6 million in capital from its shareholders. This will enable it to double the workforce to 24, start international sales and accelerate the commercialisation of its products, the firm said.

Nippon Shokubai and its Japanese compatriot Summit Cosmetics, a subsidiary of Sumitomo, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding for the joint development and sales of next-generation personal care ingredient fields. Both are initially investigating new film forming agents and thickeners, including biopolymers.

Croda International has acquired Spanish-based flavours and fragrances (F&F) firm Iberchem from Eurazeo in a €820 million deal. This takes the company into F&F for the first time. It will be funded by existing debt facilities and a £600 equity placing, representing about 8% of Croda’s issued share capital.