Products and chemicals Archives | Market Krystal

Umicore links asymmetric catalysis research to precious metals pharmaceutical chemistry

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Umicore says its Precious Metals Chemistry business supplies specialized catalysts and reagents used in synthesizing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), a sector it links to the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry on asymmetric catalysis. The company describes asymmetric catalysis as a route to selectively producing desired molecular structures, with catalytic approaches now widely used in pharmaceutical, fine chemical and specialty chemical applications. Chief Technology Officer Geert Olbrechts frames the work as connecting catalysis, materials science and process technologies to industrial solutions.

Why it matters

Demand for selective precious-metal catalysts and reagents is tied to pharmaceutical and fine-chemical API synthesis, where chirality control affects product efficacy and safety.

Key facts

Companies	Umicore
Chemicals	catalysts, reagents, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)
Timing	2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
End uses	pharmaceutical, fine chemical, specialty chemical, healthcare, agriculture, advanced materials, specialty ingredients

Market context

Asymmetric catalysis uses chiral catalysts to build one specific mirror-image form of a molecule, which matters because the two forms of a chiral compound can differ sharply in biological activity and safety. Precious-metal catalysts based on metals such as rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and palladium are central to this chemistry, along with the ligands and reagents that steer selectivity. Pharmaceutical active ingredient manufacturing is the main driver of demand, with fine and specialty chemical producers following closely. Demand for these materials tends to track new drug development and generic API production, and it is shaped by metal prices, since catalyst loadings are often expressed in precious metal content that is recovered and recycled. Suppliers that combine catalyst design with metal refining and recovery can compete on both performance and supply security, while buyers typically weigh selectivity, purity and metal price exposure when choosing catalyst sources.

Source: official release on umicore.com. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.

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Roquette launches WELLENCE GF 1229 hydrocolloid for gluten-free bakery

admin — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Roquette has launched WELLENCE GF 1229, a cellulosic hydrocolloid functional ingredient for gluten-free bakery. In Roquette application trials it increased bread volume by 23% versus the market benchmark and produced loaves with about 50% lower instrumental hardness after 21 days. The solution is presented at Fi Europe in Frankfurt on 17-19 November and has been shortlisted for the Fi Europe 2026 Innovation Award.

Why it matters

Bakers using cellulosic hydrocolloids can switch to a lower-usage option with better cost-in-use and no label change for like-for-like substitutions, intensifying competition in gluten-free bread ingredients.

Key facts

Companies	Roquette
Chemicals	WELLENCE GF 1229 cellulosic hydrocolloid solution
Location	Lille, France
Timing	27 October 2026, 17-19 November 2026 (Fi Europe, Frankfurt), 17 November 2026 (Fi Europe 2026 Innovation Award winners announced)
End uses	Gluten-free bakery, Loaves, Bread rolls, Bagels, Pizza dough

Market context

Cellulosic hydrocolloids are functional ingredients used mainly to build structure, retain water and gas, and soften crumb in foods that lack gluten, since gluten normally provides the elastic network in wheat bread. Gluten-free bakery is the main demand driver, covering loaves, rolls, bagels and pizza bases sold to consumers avoiding gluten for medical reasons or by preference. Demand is also supported by broader clean-label and texture-focused product development across retail and foodservice bakery. Suppliers in this niche compete on how much ingredient is needed per batch, how well bread keeps its softness over shelf life, and whether a product can be swapped in without changing the label. Ingredient makers that can cut usage or extend freshness tend to gain share with bakers managing tight margins, which puts pressure on incumbent hydrocolloid and fibre suppliers to respond on performance and cost-in-use.

Source: official release on roquette.com. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.

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Dow launches silicone-based water and oil repellent emulsion for textiles

admin — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Dow has launched DOWSIL IE-5619 DWOR Emulsion, a silicone-organic hybrid durable water and oil repellent for the global textile industry, positioned as a fluoro-alternative to fluorinated chemistries facing restrictions. The 30% solids concentrate is designed for conventional textile finishing across synthetic, natural and blended fibers. Typical use levels are 1–3% based on fabric weight, with 1–3 minutes curing at 150°C minimum, and repellency is claimed to hold through 20+ home laundering cycles. Dow is sold globally through textile chemical formulators, mills and brands.

Why it matters

Textile formulators and brands facing fluorinated-chemistry restrictions gain a silicone-based option that fits existing finishing lines, potentially shifting demand away from fluorinated DWOR agents.

Key facts

Companies	Dow
Chemicals	silicone-organic hybrid polymer, DOWSIL IE-5619 DWOR Emulsion
Timing	2026-10-27
Partners	textile chemical formulators, mills, brands
End uses	textiles, water and oil repellent finishing of synthetic, natural and blended fabrics

Market context

Durable water and oil repellent (DWOR) finishes are applied to fabrics so that liquids beads up and roll off, a property valued in outdoor apparel, workwear, uniforms, home textiles and technical fabrics. Long used in this role have been fluorinated chemistries, which have faced tightening regulatory scrutiny over persistence in the environment, pushing brands and mills to look for alternatives. Silicone-based and hybrid systems are one such route, and they are typically applied by textile chemical formulators and finishing mills through padding and curing steps already common in the industry. For buyers, the appeal of a drop-in option is that it can reduce the need to re-engineer finishing lines or reformulate from scratch. For suppliers of fluorinated DWOR agents, sustained adoption of non-fluorinated options could gradually erode share, while competition among repellent chemistries is likely to increase over time.

Source: official release on corporate.dow.com. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.

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Henkel launches Loctite ABLESTIK CDF 900 conductive die attach film series

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 23:00:00 +0000

Henkel Adhesive Technologies has launched Loctite ABLESTIK CDF 900, a next-generation conductive die attach film (cDAF) series with thermal conductivity above 8 W/m-K. The film targets semiconductor packaging for AI, 5G and emerging 6G telecommunications, and high-performance computing, including large-die processor and AI chip packages. The company says its film format avoids material bleed-out and non-uniform bondline thickness seen with competing liquid die attach adhesives.

Key facts

Companies	Henkel, Henkel Adhesive Technologies
Chemicals	Loctite ABLESTIK CDF 900
Timing	2026-10-27
End uses	AI packaging, 5G and 6G telecommunications, high-performance computing (HPC), mobile phones, processors, Wi-Fi equipment, automotive electronics, power devices

Market context

Die attach materials bond semiconductor chips to their substrates or lead frames and carry heat and electrical signals away from the device. Conductive die attach films are a sheet format of this adhesive chemistry, typically based on epoxy or acrylic resin systems loaded with metal or ceramic fillers that raise thermal and electrical conductivity. Demand for these materials is driven by advanced packaging for artificial intelligence accelerators, high-performance computing processors, 5G and emerging 6G telecommunications hardware, mobile devices, automotive electronics and power devices, where heat removal and bondline control increasingly limit performance. Film formats differ from liquid dispensed adhesives because they are pre-formed to a set thickness, which helps manage bleed-out and bondline uniformity on large dies. Suppliers of semiconductor packaging materials compete on thermal performance, process compatibility and reliability, so new product series can shift qualification activity among assembly houses and chip designers.

Source: official release on henkel.com. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.

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Henkel launches five light cure adhesives for medical device assembly

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Henkel Adhesive Technologies has launched five light cure medical device adhesives, Loctite AA 3914, AA 3915, AA 3917, AA 3937 and AA 3964, formulated to EU-MDR requirements on ED, CMR and TPO content. The new grades contain less than 0.1% by weight of CMR, ED and TPO-related content and were tested under ISO 10993-based Henkel protocols. The adhesives add improved fluorescence stability for in-line visual inspection and better strength retention in accelerated aging tests. Henkel will show the portfolio at MD&M Midwest on October 28-29, 2026, in Minneapolis, and at COMPAMED on November 16-19, 2026, in Düsseldorf.

Key facts

Companies	Henkel, Henkel Adhesive Technologies
Chemicals	Loctite AA 3914, Loctite AA 3915, Loctite AA 3917, Loctite AA 3937, Loctite AA 3964, TPO (Trimethylbenzoyl Diphenylphosphine Oxide)
Timing	October 26, 2026, October 28-29, 2026, November 16-19, 2026
End uses	Medical device assembly, In-line visual inspection of medical devices

Market context

Light cure adhesives are UV- or visible-light-activated polymer systems that bond components within seconds, which makes them attractive for high-throughput assembly lines. In medical devices they are used to join plastic housings, catheters, tubing and fluid-path parts, where bond strength, biocompatibility and traceability matter. Demand is driven mainly by medical equipment and disposables makers, with additional pull from electronics and precision assembly. Regulatory pressure has become a major factor: the EU Medical Device Regulation pushes suppliers to limit substances of very high concern and CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic) content, and photoinitiators such as TPO have drawn scrutiny for this reason. Reformulated grades that meet these limits can shift qualification work and sourcing decisions for device manufacturers, often favoring suppliers that can document compliance and test results. Established adhesive suppliers compete on such documentation as much as on price.

Source: official release on henkel.com. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.

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Henkel launches Loctite MS 9810 formed-in-place automotive gasketing sealant

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Henkel has launched Loctite MS 9810, a one-component MS Polymer formed-in-place gasketing sealant for automotive powertrain and electronic housing applications. The product cures through contact with airborne moisture at room temperature, is non-permeable to hydrocarbons, maintains seal integrity in hot oils and powertrain fluids, and is free of silicone and oxime chemistry. Henkel says it is compatible with Bergquist Gap Fillers and can be leak-tested before curing.

Key facts

Companies	Henkel
Chemicals	MS Polymer
Location	Düsseldorf, Germany
Timing	Oct 26, 2026
Partners	Bergquist Gap Fillers
End uses	automotive combustion engines, electric drivetrains, transmissions, axles, electronic unit housings, e-motors, metal and plastic covers

Market context

Formed-in-place gasketing sealants are liquid materials dispensed as a bead onto a housing flange, where they cure into a flexible elastomeric seal that replaces pre-cut paper or rubber gaskets. MS Polymer is a silane-terminated polyether backbone that cures by reacting with atmospheric moisture, and it is valued for combining elastic recovery with adhesion to metals and plastics without the isocyanate or silicone chemistries used in some competing systems. Demand for these materials is driven mainly by automotive production, particularly powertrain components, transmissions, axles, and electronic control housings, where seals must resist hot oils, fuels, and coolants over long service lives. Electric drivetrains and e-motor assemblies are expanding the number of sealed housings per vehicle, which supports demand for one-component systems that can be applied by robot and leak-tested before cure. Suppliers in this segment compete on cure speed, fluid resistance, and process compatibility with automakers' assembly lines.

Source: official release on henkel.com. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.

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LANXESS Introduces Cosmelin Biodegradable Ester Line for Cosmetics Formulators

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

LANXESS is launching Cosmelin, a new line of readily biodegradable esters for cosmetics and personal care manufacturers making skin and hair care, sun care and decorative cosmetics. The range meets the OECD 301 standard for ready biodegradability and is designed as a functional substitute for cyclomethicone and dimethicone, degrading significantly faster and more completely in the environment after use. The portfolio includes monoester, diester, polyol ester and trimellitate products, including Cosmelin 5131 (Isononyl Isononanoate), Cosmelin 5145 (Cetyl Ethylhexanoate) and Cosmelin 5141 (Triisotridecyl Trimellitate).

Why it matters

Cosmetics formulators gain a readily biodegradable alternative to silicone emollients, which could shift demand from cyclomethicone and dimethicone toward ester-based ingredients in clean beauty products.

Key facts

Companies	LANXESS
Chemicals	Cosmelin esters, Isononyl Isononanoate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Triisotridecyl Trimellitate, cyclomethicone, dimethicone
Timing	2026-10-26
End uses	skin care, hair care, sun care, decorative cosmetics, color cosmetics, personal care

Market context

Cosmetic esters are oily emollients that give creams, lotions, sunscreens and makeup a smooth, non-greasy skin feel and help dissolve or disperse active ingredients. Demand is driven mainly by skin care, hair care, sun care and color cosmetics, along with the wider personal care segment, where formulators continually reshape their ingredient lists around sensory performance and regulatory expectations. Silicone emollients such as cyclomethicone and dimethicone have long been the default choice for silky texture, but they persist in the environment, which has pushed brand owners and ingredient suppliers toward alternatives that break down more readily after use. Readily biodegradable ester chemistries can serve as functional replacements in many formulations, so a credible option of this type can shift specification decisions and gradually redirect volume from silicones. For ester producers and silicone suppliers alike, such moves tend to reshape competitive positioning more than overall market size.

Source: official release on lanxess.com. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.

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