Industry Insights

Industry Insights

Explore insights from industry experts across topics like regulatory news, formulation best practices, market innovations and opportunities, and more. Want to contribute? Learn how you can share your expertise.

LATEST INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

Hydrophobic Coatings and Pigments: From Water Beading to Durable Protection

By Ron Lewarchik September 9, 2026

Hydrophobic coatings if formulated correctly can provide a plethora of advantages which may include self-cleaning, … Continued

EPA considers rule changes encouraging advanced recycling

By Bruce Geiselman September 9, 2026

Written July 2026 The U.S. EPA is considering changing how plastics recycling plants that use … Continued

Formulating Cleaners with Antibacterial Coatings: Benefits, Challenges, and Commercial Opportunities

By Carmen Lerga September 2, 2026

As hygiene expectations continue to rise across household, institutional, healthcare, and food processing markets, formulators … Continued

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Boosting Recycled Content –– From Stretch Film to Toddler Bikes

By Bob Grace | June 24, 2026

Resin manufacturers today are striving to boost the recycled content in their materials while continuing to meet their customers’ stringent performance demands. Doing so helps those product makers to lower their carbon footprint and improve their environmental profile while converting … Continued

Why White Paint Is One of the Most Engineered Materials in Your Home

By Dr. CC- Carolyn Carta | June 24, 2026

Hidden in Plain Sight: The Materials That Shape Everyday Safety Series Why White Matters Walk into almost any home, office, school, hospital, or apartment building and you will find one of the most engineered materials in modern life. White paint. … Continued

Next-Generation Emollient Technology

By Staff | June 17, 2026

For decades, the standard playbook for a cosmetic formulator balancing an emulsion’s oil phase relied heavily on a predictable cascading lipid model: mineral oils, petrolatum, and synthetic silicones (like cyclopentasiloxane or dimethicone) blended perfectly to achieve the desired playtime, rub-out, … Continued

Understanding Coating Defects: Identification, Root Cause Analysis, and Corrective Action in Industrial Coating Systems

By Ron Lewarchik | June 10, 2026

This article builds on earlier coating defect discussions published through UL Prospector Knowledge Center – Overcoming Paint Film Defects: Causes and Remedies and expands further into practical industrial troubleshooting, analytical investigations, and process-related corrective actions observed during real production and … Continued

Choosing between Nylon 6 (PA6) and Nylon 66 (PA66)

By Andy Pye | June 10, 2026

The Polyamide (Nylon) Family Tree While Nylon 6 (PA6) and Nylon 66 (PA66) represent over 80% of global polyamide consumption in engineering applications, the polyamide family consists of a broader spectrum of chemistries. Polyamides are categorized by the number of … Continued

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Personal Care & Cosmetics

Effective Foaming in Emulsion-Based Skincare

By Staff | September 2, 2026

Foaming and emulsification are both driven by interfacial chemistry, yet the formulation requirements for each can sometimes compete. Emulsion-based cleansers must remain physically stable during storage while generating desirable foam during consumer use. Successful formulations are not created by maximizing … Continued

Regulatory Update: Europe Remains the Global Regulatory Driver

By Staff | August 19, 2026

For chemists and formulators, regulatory compliance is no longer a downstream activity. Across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Canada, regulators are shifting toward broader chemical class restrictions, increased supply chain transparency, digital product documentation, and sustainability-driven material selection. The practical … Continued

Beyond the Metric: Why Biotech and Regenerative Ingredients Both Belong in Your Formulations

By Barbara Olioso | August 5, 2026

Walk the halls of any major ingredients show right now — In-Cosmetics Global and Suppliers’ Day— and one word dominates the sustainability conversation: biotech. Precision fermentation and biosurfactant technologies are maturing fast, and for formulators the appeal is obvious. These … Continued

Sunscreen Formulation: Navigating the Intersection of Photobiology, Aesthetics, and Modern Regulations

By Staff | July 15, 2026

In the competitive landscape of personal care, sunscreen formulation remains one of the most challenging and technically demanding categories. As we move into 2026, the industry is shifting away from seasonal messaging toward “year-round intelligent photoprotection”. Today’s formulators must balance the rigorous physics of … Continued

Phenoxyethanol: Why It Remains a Formulator’s Go-To Preservative

By Staff | July 1, 2026

As personal care formulations become increasingly sophisticated, preservation remains one of the most critical, and frequently scrutinized aspects of product development. Consumers expect products that are safe, stable, and resistant to microbial contamination, while brands seek preservative systems that are … Continued

Plastics

EPA considers rule changes encouraging advanced recycling

By Bruce Geiselman | September 9, 2026

Written July 2026 The U.S. EPA is considering changing how plastics recycling plants that use pyrolysis technology are regulated under the Clean Air Act so they would no longer fall under the definition of municipal solid waste combustion units. “Revising … Continued

The Cliff Inside the Mold: What Undercuts Teach Us About Making Things

By Dr. CC- Carolyn Carta | August 26, 2026

Long before anyone spoke of injection molding, ancient Greek bronze casters were already fighting this battle. Building the clay or plaster molds used in indirect lost-wax casting, they divided each mold into as few sections as possible without damaging any … Continued

Voltage Vessels Envisions a More Circular Future

By Bob Grace | August 12, 2026

A Maui-based advanced materials company is turning Hawaiʻi’s harsh marine environment and supply-chain realities into the foundation for a circular composite materials platform centered on large-format additive manufacturing. Voltage Vessels LLC, founded in 2020 by Sam Young, recognizes the challenges … Continued

The Rise of Biodegradable Plastics: What It Means for Injection Molders

By David Spielhagen | July 29, 2026

Sustainable materials are reshaping the plastics industry, and biodegradable polymers are becoming more widely used across Europe. For injection molders, this shift brings both opportunity and complexity. As regulatory pressure increases and demand for eco‑friendly products grows, molding companies need … Continued

Polyester Plastics: Properties, Applications and Material Selection Considerations

By Andy Pye | July 29, 2026

Polyester is a specific type of synthetic polymer. To be classified as a polyester, a polymer must contain the ester functional group (-COO-) in its main molecular chain. The commonly used engineering thermoplastics PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate) and PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) … Continued

Paint & Coatings

Hydrophobic Coatings and Pigments: From Water Beading to Durable Protection

By Ron Lewarchik | September 9, 2026

Hydrophobic coatings if formulated correctly can provide a plethora of advantages which may include self-cleaning, corrosion resistance, and exterior durability. Most industrial, marine and exterior applications, require a coating to do more than repel water as determined by contact angle. … Continued

Eco-Friendly Coatings, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

By Wally Kesler | August 26, 2026

Eco-friendly might be one of today’s most overused marketing claims. It is often applied to various formulations like personal care products (i.e., shampoos, lotions, and sunscreens), household cleaners, and fabric care products. But what does “eco-friendly” mean? Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary … Continued

Regulatory Update: Europe Remains the Global Regulatory Driver

By Staff | August 19, 2026

Powder Coatings for Heat-Sensitive Substrates

By Jochum Beetsma | August 12, 2026

A conventional thermosetting powder paint consists of solid particles. Each particle contains all components. After application, the paint melts, flows and cures during film formation at high temperatures, generally in 10 to 15 minutes at 160 to 200 °C. Conventional … Continued

High Pigment Volume Concentrates, More Color in Every Drop

By Wally Kesler | July 29, 2026

Pigment concentrates play a valuable role in coatings formulations for all applications. From Point-of-Sale colorants that allow thousands of color choices at your neighborhood paint store, to industrial pigment dispersions used to precisely and efficiently match factory-applied coatings. Each pigment … Continued

Cleaners

Formulating Cleaners with Antibacterial Coatings: Benefits, Challenges, and Commercial Opportunities

By Carmen Lerga | September 2, 2026

As hygiene expectations continue to rise across household, institutional, healthcare, and food processing markets, formulators are increasingly exploring ways to extend protection beyond the cleaning event itself. Antibacterial coating technologies incorporated into cleaners offer a potential solution by depositing a … Continued

Regulatory Update: Europe Remains the Global Regulatory Driver

By Staff | August 19, 2026

Navigating the Next Wave of Cleaner Regulations: PFAS, Microplastics, and More

By Staff | August 5, 2026

Regulatory requirements are making big moves globally and it’s important that you know what is coming and how it may impact your day-to-day. Below is a check-in for where we are at midway through 2026 and what to plan for … Continued

Sugar-Derived vs. Petrochemical Surfactants

By Staff | July 1, 2026

As sustainability goals move from marketing claims to procurement requirements, formulators are facing increasing pressure to evaluate the origin, environmental profile, and performance of their surfactant systems. While petrochemical surfactants remain the backbone of many cleaning formulations due to their … Continued

How Formulators Can Engineer Successful Green Cleaning Products

By Carmen Lerga | June 3, 2026

Green and sustainable claims have become a major commercial driver in home care. Products making ESG related claims have outperformed conventional alternatives across multiple categories, and sustainability is now a primary innovation force in laundry and surface care.[i], [ii] Yet … Continued

Food, Beverage & Nutrition

What Eco-Friendly Actually Means for Food Ingredients

By Guest Author | September 2, 2026

By Laurie , RIBUS, Inc “Eco-friendly” gets used a lot in food and beverage marketing. It shows up on cereal boxes, protein bars, and drink labels, often without much explanation of what it actually means. Consumer demand for these claims … Continued

Regulatory Update: Europe Remains the Global Regulatory Driver

By Staff | August 19, 2026

What’s Replacing Gelatin? Trends and Formulation Tips for Plant-Based Food Development

By Staff | August 5, 2026

Consumer demand for vegan, vegetarian, halal, kosher, and clean-label products continues to reshape food innovation. While traditional gelatin remains a highly functional ingredient for creating elasticity, chew, foams, and melt-in-the-mouth textures, formulators are increasingly turning to plant-based alternatives to meet … Continued

Vegetable Proteins vs. Hydrolyzed Vegetable Proteins: Guide to Functionality, Flavor, and Market Opportunity

By Staff | July 1, 2026

As consumer demand for plant-based foods continues to evolve, food and beverage formulators are no longer focused solely on replacing animal proteins. Today’s formulation challenge is creating products that deliver the nutrition, taste, texture, and sensory experience consumers expect while … Continued

Regulatory Roundup: Food-Contact Standards Updated Around the Globe

By Staff | June 3, 2026

Across the globe regulatory bodies are implementing food-contact standards. Here are the latest updates: Japan Extends Transition Period for Food‑Contact Material Standards Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) revised the implementation rules for recently amended standards governing food contact utensils, containers, … Continued

Industry Insights

Explore insights from industry experts across topics like regulatory news, formulation best practices, market innovations and opportunities, and more. Want to contribute? Learn how you can share your expertise.

LATEST INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS ARCHIVE

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