How can cleaning agents components be produced in a more environmentally friendly and effective way? With fluid bed and spouted bed technologies, plant manufacturer and process expert, Glatt Ingenieurtechnik, offers modern, established solutions. As a manufacturer of consumer goods, the detergent industry must respond to megatrends like no other. One of these drivers is sustainability; eco-friendly biosurfactants have been available since 2009 and, now, alternative complexing agents such as α-ADA or MGDA-Na3 can be produced from renewable raw materials and used to replace phosphates. According to the German Zukunftsinstitut (Future Institute), the neo-ecology megatrend is causing a reorientation of the values of global society, culture and politics and will have a defining impact on the 2020s. Consumers and business partners alike are asking about transparent value creation and whether social aspects are being considered. As an example, seamless traceability has long been standard practice. Yet, the ongoing microplastics debate calls for a rethink when it comes to encapsulated fragrances or when the fibres of functional clothing have to be fished out of wastewater. Solutions for all these requirements can only be realised if the chemical industry and original equipment manufacturers work closely together. Innovative raw materials is one side of the coin; technological advances in laundry washing is the other! Authors: Gudrun Ding and Arne Teiwes, both Glatt Ingenieurtechnik GmbH. Originally published in: SOFW Journal, issue 10/2020, Verlag für chemische Industrie H. Ziolkowsky GmbH

Sensitive raw materials, especially those that are volatile or of natural origin, require particularly gentle process conditions. Spray granulation, spray coating and (micro)encapsulation procedures have proven to be methods of choice, as they enable high yields, low temperatures and bespoke properties. When it comes to cosmetics, product development often focuses on proven, multifunctional ingredients. This is in addition to the ongoing demand for natural ingredients, as consumers increasingly look for effective cosmetic products that neither harm their health nor the environment. Glatt Ingenieurtechnik, the German expert in particle design, process development and plant engineering, offers unique particle processing solutions based on fluidised bed and spouted bed technologies for essential oils, collagens, active substances, stabilizers, enzymes, fragrances, aromas, vitamins and controlled release products, all of which can be optimally produced, protected and refined.