Surfactants Monthly - January 2026 (Early Edition)

Early edition as we’ll be heading down early to ACI in a couple of days.

Surfactants Monthly – January 2026

The view from Davos. Haha only kidding. I wasn't there. I’ll be at the “Davos of Cleaning” in Orlando Feb 1st though (ACI annual meeting – see you there?). Apparently Godrej and SABIC were at Davos according to Google’s Gemini and Godrej talked about consumer product company acquisitions. If anyone is aware of any surfactant related talk in the Swiss mountains, let me know and I’ll dutifully report it here.

It seems like the beginning of the blog these days is just a roll of self-promos, right? But wouldn’t you rather get all these out of the way upfront? You know you can just skip right to the news section below and not have to worry about ads inserted in there like in Youtube videos and online papers. Anyway you should be using an ad blocker (not needed for the blog but most other sites). I recommend AdBlock Plus.

So: We now have a charity. It’s the Louverture School in Haiti. (https://www.neilaburns.com/charity )

And then there’s the Renewable Surfactants Report published January 12th. https://www.neilaburns.com/reports

And of course the 16th World Surfactants Conference, May 6 – 7th (Training on the 5th). https://events.icis.com/website/8544/

End of self-promos.

Macroeconomics:

Nothing this month. The IBank letters for Q4 will start publishing soon I expect.

The News:

I read in HAPPI that Samsung showed off its 2026 Bespoke AI Laundry Combo, which has an upgraded high-pressure speed spray that improves detergent penetration and rinsing. So that seems cool. The article went on to quote a research firm that the global market for smart washing machines was valued at $18.8 billion in 2024. I think that’s probably stretching the definition of “smart”. Nonetheless, it’s clear that the big CPG’s like Unilever, Henkel P&G et al are keenly aware of what’s happening in the machines their detergent is used in – and surfactant manufacturers should be also, because, you know, nothing gets cleaned without the surfactant.

Check out the cool Tide marketing right on the machine

Belated; but someone drew my attention to the Canadian greenwashing law. Updated in November. The article is long and virtue-signally as you might expect. My sense is though that it could cut in ways its authors did not originally intend, affecting the “chemical free” and “Toxic Cleaning Products” folks. Lets’ see.

Nice coupla packages of the er.. “Package Free” line of products

As I peruse my well-thumbed copy of Business Korea, I note that Samyang’s Verdant, under the steady hand of Todd Nelmark, has acquired Lubrizol Elmendorf. Contrary to what the name might suggest, the company is located nowhere near Davos. It is actually in Texas. It manufactures and researches specialty chemical products required for oil and gas production processes, including hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) scavengers, scale inhibitors, and corrosion inhibitors. The operation recorded sales of approximately about $32.6 million in 2024.M The article goes on to say that, through this business acquisition, Verdant will expand its portfolio beyond existing amphoteric surfactants for personal care and nonionic surfactants for industrial use to include specialty chemical materials for the energy sector. Much success to Samyang!

Some of the emails I’ve been getting recently from folks at BASF have a a graphic in the signature featuring a lady in erm… in a sports-bra, let’s call it. I get some comments now and again about the images we feature in the blog, and if you wonder about the images we decided not to use, well this one would fall into that category. I’m not going to put it here. Anyway, that’s not the point. There’s a surfactant point here, so bear (bare?- no that’s not fair) with me. The tagline includes “Reshaping Beauty” and “Explore the GLP-1 Beauty Edit”. So I did. It’s here. They present five finished product formulas built on BASF ingredients, for folks using GLP-1 (which some call the fat drug) and thus intended to apply to rapid weight loss situations. BASF lists the following conditions that their formulas address: Loose skin, facial volume loss and dehydration, thinning lips, dull and thinning hair and bad breath (!) Well, at least you’ll be hot. Ingredients in the formulas include glucosides, paraffins (Cetiol), amino acid surfactants (see last week’s video) and all sorts of esters. I think it’s a gutsy marketing approach and, by all accounts, addresses a need in the consumer market. Good for them that they are plugging into that market sentiment.

I guess I coulda used this photo - It’s the bad breath guy!

MFG Chemical (sulfosuccinates etc.) changed hands from Platte River to another PE, Windjammer Capital. Grace Matthews advised the sellers. More: MFG was Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Chattanooga, TN. From the press release: “We are excited to partner with Windjammer as we build on MFG’s more than four decades of history,” said Paul Turgeon, Chief Executive Officer of MFG Chemical. “Windjammer’s experience scaling industrial manufacturing businesses and their collaborative approach make them an ideal partner as we continue to invest in our people, expand our capabilities, and serve our customers.” I took a quick look at Windjammer’s site. A lot of specialty manufacturing type companies. No chemicals that I could see. Welcome to surfactants guys !!

One of our readers sent me a graph (that had been put on Linkedin here by Creov) suggesting that I wasn't telling the whole story with respect to Stepan in last month’s blog. The graph (below) shows Stepan in the Robust category due to EBITDA growth and not too much leverage.

It’s fair to say I haven’t told the whole Stepan story in the blog (although we did a decent series of 3 videos early last year on Youtube.

Maybe this coming year, we’ll do a deeper dive into Stepan in the blog.

Ingevity (Tall Oil and TOFA) sold its North Charleston Crude Tall Oil (CTO) refinery assets and the majority of its Performance Chemicals Industrial Specialties product line to Mainstream Pine Products, LLC. [Great name by the way. Makes me think Mainstream Surfactants would be a good moniker for a company] Per the terms of the agreement, the all-cash transaction includes $110 million at closing plus potential contingent consideration ranging from $0 to $19 million, subject to the achievement of future business performance milestones. I know some of our oleo readers keep truck of CTO and such, hence my inclusion of this.

We’ve written a lot about Tide EVO here, but do you know Dizolve? Check out this article here. Based in Moncton, New Brunswick, Dizolve is a contract manufacturer specializing in dissolvable laundry detergent and cleaning sheets. Founded in 2009, the company recently expanded operations in 2025. They also make dissolvable sheets for fabric softening, multi-surface cleaning, and toilet sanitation. Not sure if there’s any affiliation with P&G (Proctoids – the tip line is open) probably not. I would expect their business might get a boost if / when EVO really takes a chunk of the market.

The ever popular tip line is now open in Cincinnati

I read that Moeve and Galp are negotiating to combine downstream activities to form leading European Energy and Mobility platforms. I don't know what this means for Moeve’s surfactant related activities (LAB, Alcohols, sulfonation etc.) but I’ll keep you posted. It talks a lot about gas stations and such. One key piece is: – a mobility platform (RetailCo) focused on fuel retail, convenience and mobility services; and
– an industrial platform (IndustrialCo) focused on refining, trading, chemicals, supply activities and low-carbon fuels, including green molecules such as biofuels and hydrogen. Hmm – well as I said, we’ll keep you posted. Of course if Moeve folks want to use the tipline, they can. See above image but substitute Madrid for Cinci.

Fat-splitting. Very important in our value chain. I read about a new technology in Chemical Engineering magazine, from Novonesis (rhymes with Loch Ness Monster) and Thyssen Krup (rhymes with erm… dissin’ like this. (Mega-props to the producer on this one by the way) - oh and bad word alert if you’re at work)

Where am I going with this?… Anyway they (Thuyssen) say it requires significantly lower energy, boosts yield and can be operated efficiently at a wider range of production scales than conventional (non-enzymatic) processes. The companies have spent the last two years scaling up the enzymatic splitting process, running pilot trials and demonstrating scaleup from 2-to 20-ton reactors. The companies are investing in and operating a continuous pilot plant in Thailand with a capacity of 2 L/h — demonstrating the technology at an industrially relevant scale and allowing producers to validate performance under real-world conditions. [Hmm… if only there were an industry gathering every May in Jersey City where this company could come and provide a detailed coverage of how this powerful technolgy could affect the world of surfactants … oh wait a minute…]

Speaking of Palm (which we weren’t specifically but we are now) I read an interesting article here. It says, among many other things, that the tight correlation between palm oil and soybean oil pricing has broken down recently. Among the reasons: “Palm oil production growth has slowed as Southeast Asia’s plantations hit land limits and a larger share of trees move into older age. Expansion has largely given way to replanting, so future output gains are likely to be small even if prices stay high. A larger share of palm oil production now stays in Southeast Asia to meet domestic biodiesel and food demand” [What does this mean for PKO? Nothing good (if you’re a non-integrated user) and fatty alcohols (ditto). What do you think?

Hey – Estee Lauder signed British actress Daisy Edgar-Jones as a global ambassador. By the way, if her name was any more British it would be Umbrella Fish-n-Chips or something – right?. Anyway, EL says “She is aspirational, yet approachable, and her confident, youthful spirit and innate sense of style will inspire consumers across generations.” And I believe them. Why do I report this? Merely to contrast with our August reporting of the deployment of one Ari Kytsya (of dubious OnlyFans repute) by L’Oreal in the furtherance of erm… empowerment of young women. More Daisy please! [that’s an official blog editorial stance] Here’s the lass with some of her favourite products.

Speaking of Britain. The Enact Fund, under the management of the private equity firm Endless, has recently acquired GEO Specialty Chemicals UK Ltd. ("GEO"), a manufacturer of specialty chemicals based in Southampton. GEO operates on a 53-acre site and features two distinct business units that possess global-scale capabilities and advanced expertise in alkoxylation, methacrylate chemistry, and specialty silicones. The company caters to premium markets, such as coatings, lubricants, and medical devices, achieving annual revenues of approximately £68 million. [I’m just wondering where they get the EO (or maybe it’s all PO) as the last I knew, no-one was making it in the UK] Get thee to the tipline, please!

I’ve noted periodically here and in my Surfactants Business Essentials course, that Kenvue (and J&J before them) is a bit of an innovator in the field of surfactants. So, HAPPI tells me that Kenvue filed US Patent No. 12,514,793 B2, covering cleansing compositions and methods for forming in situ complexation of surfactants providing controlled foaming and improved rinsibility of surfactants from skin or hair. The cleansing system exhibits initial high foam volume, rich and creamy foaming effect, followed by quick foam breakage and ease of rinsing, while simultaneously providing moist conditioning with mild, sensorial touch and feel benefit to the skin. The cleansing system may optionally further include moisturizing or conditioning agents to provide enhanced. Nice and… and one of the inventors is our very own Mike Fevola (now of Vantage, and more importantly a newly minted member of the new ICIS World Surfactants Conference Advisory Board.) Congrats Mike.

I guessed I missed this but the well-known contract manufacturer Mana Products got into a bit of a financial pickle and furloughed employees in late 2025, and put their assets up for sale. They were then acquired by Prime Matter Labs in January 2026, bringing the manufacturer back into operation with new ownership. The acquisition by Prime Matter Labs, backed by Monogram Capital, saved the company, which had served major brands like Rare Beauty and Fenty Beauty. Well then, all’s well that ends well for the suppliers and employees anyway.

A Rare Beauty (Google it. We don’t just pick images at random here…)

I’ve mentiond ACS of Japan here and Makoto Hirota. He posted something interesting on Linkedin that I encourage you to engage with here. By the way for all the detail on ACS and a Hundred other renewabl surfactant companies, there is that Renewable Surfactants Report from Doris (with an assist from me).

Oh and as we go to press, Clorox buys Gojo! End of an era for one company and beginning of a new one for the combo. Good luck to both!! Read more here.

By the way, where are we with tarrifs? (which yes, I know I said I wouldn't report on bcause it changes too often and we are a monthly blog, but I just read this so..) Right now today, there continues to be a 19% tariff on imports from southeast Asia - including on Malaysian and Indonesian PKO, alcohols etc. There are plans to reduce the tariff on Malaysian palm oil, PKO and oleochemicals including fatty acids and fatty alcohols to 0%, per the trade deal in October. The changes have not yet gone into effect, according to what I read, so the tariff for most imports is still 19%. Indonesian also remain at 19%. Keep an eye on Annex III. Also, I’m told (by Gemini) that the US and Indonesia are close to signing a trade deal – this month (Jan 2026) – so let’s see. Something to talk about at ACI because, you know, there isn’t that much to talk about there this year.

Finally, for those following such things. FGV has been cleared by the United States (U.S.) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to export palm oil and palm oil products to the U.S. following the modification of the Withhold Release Order (WRO), effective 15 January 2026. More details in the link (under the word “things”).

Market News:

Asian fatty alcohol ethoxylates (FAE) market is seeing an upward revision in February spot offers, primarily driven by a continued uptrend in feedstock fatty alcohol mid-cuts. However, market uncertainty and price volatility are keeping spot interest low, with most transactions remaining contract-based. Spot availability is constrained by upcoming plant maintenance, though demand is expected to rise ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. Upstream, China's ethylene oxide prices have stabilized, yet ample supply continues to meet weak demand. Additionally, China is adjusting export tax rebates on certain products to address overcapacity and trade tensions.

The Asian linear alkyl benzene (LAB) market remains unchanged amidst a seasonal lull, with suppliers holding firm on offers. While some anticipate a demand uptick before Lunar New Year holidays, spot buying interest is weak, particularly in China where buyers are well-covered. India's market, however, is sustained by tight availability due to local plant maintenance, despite a current winter lull. The downstream LAB sulphonate (LAS) market in Asia is stable, with some suppliers noting increased buying inquiries. Looking ahead, China and Asia LAB supply is expected to remain snug in the near term, and 2026 contract negotiations are beginning with significantly higher deltas compared to the previous year. Upstream, Asia benzene prices are in a downtrend, weighed by ample stocks and tepid demand, though forecasts are adjusted upwards for certain months due to rising feedstock naphtha and styrene. Jet-kerosene prices are slightly higher, supported by crude and firm demand, while sulphur pricing sentiment remains firm but deals are pausing. Production updates include plant maintenance in India and the restart of a Middle Eastern LAB line, with new Middle Eastern capacity expected in the near to medium term.

Across global fatty alcohol markets, Asia is experiencing rising mid-cut prices due to strong demand and higher feedstock PKO, with limited spot availability from upcoming plant turnarounds. An increase in demand is anticipated ahead of Lunar New Year, though long chains remain weak from ample supply. In the US, Q1 contracts are finalizing with sufficient supplies meeting weak demand, leading to downward price pressure and discouraged imports, despite firm lauric oil costs and competitive synthetic alcohols. European Q1 contract prices have fallen significantly, driven by softer feedstock costs and robust supply, with spot prices also showing softness amidst sluggish demand. Key developments include the postponement and simplification of the EU Deforestation Regulation and a new trade deal between Indonesia and the EU aimed at reducing tariffs.

Last Section (apart from the music which is always right at the end – this where we put frivolous stuff which is probably not worth your time):

Maybe this should be in the music section (or maybe above next to Smart Laundry). But – this is actually worth 2 and half minutes of your time, probably. The great Andre Antunes, with the washing machine song.

Music Section

Music to write blogs by – mostly instrumental, old and new-ish. This is a selection from the playlist which accompanied the writing of this blog – which may explain a lot.

Funkadelic – Maggot Brain. The group doesn't get enough credit. This is some really nice, juicy, honest, unapologetic, not that showy or self-indulgent, totally un-self-conscious, bloody great guitar, isn’t it? If you don't read the blog, you should at least listen to this – 10 minutes

Causa Sui – Homage. Another 10 minutes. This falls into the Modern psychedelic category.

From 1967 – The Yardbirds. This is such a great instrumental and a so obviously a Zep precursor. I can’t believe I didn't listen to it more back then…

I’ve been listening to a lot of Samsara Blues Experiment recently. This will give you a sense of what they’re about. It reminds me of something and I can’t quite put my finger on it. Can some one of our great blog music people write in…?

Frank Zappa. I don't think I had this one in our recent Zappa retrospective on the blog. But, wow right? Reminds me a again of something..Watermelon in Easter Hay. Careful at work without headphones. A naughty word or two upfront.

Another modern psych band, Naxatras with a live version of Waves. Kinda chill right? Look this is music to write blogs by so it can’t all be like – Wow I have stop and listen to this bit, right? Nice piece of guitar though at 6 minutes.

And finally, the live version of Hang on to a Dream by The (aptly named) Nice. Some modest vocals upfront and then such a beautiful excursion by Keith Emerson – makes you realise his genius and talent. Gotta love this. Really gotta. (Bit o’ Summertime in there and all sorts of other stuff)

That's it! Get in touch with Doris! admin@greendma.com. This thing is selling out!

Surfactants Monthly - January 2026 (Early Edition)

Surfactants Monthy - December 2025