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

4D Printing – the extra dimension

By Andy Pye October 28, 2026

For decades, additive manufacturing (AM) has focused on optimising three-dimensional spatial architectures, optimising strength-to-weight ratios … Continued

How Paint is Formulated

By Collaboration October 28, 2026

A paint batch can look fine in the can and still fail where it matters: … Continued

Best Practices for Formulating with Niacinamide

By Staff October 21, 2026

Why Niacinamide Matters to Formulators Unlike many trend-driven cosmetic actives, niacinamide offers multiple benefits across … Continued

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS ARCHIVE

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The Serum Revolution: Key Formulation Trends for 2026

By Staff | March 18, 2026

The cosmetic serum market is undergoing a radical transformation. As we move into 2026, the era of the “one-size-fits-all” active is fading, replaced by a sophisticated convergence of biotechnology, regenerative aesthetics, and neurocosmetics. For formulators, the challenge is no longer … Continued

Protecting Against the Sun: Guide to Plastic UV Resistance

By Staff | March 12, 2026

The vibrant colors of outdoor furniture, the structural integrity of automotive parts, and the clarity of packaging materials all rely on one crucial property: UV resistance. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight, while essential for life, poses a significant threat to … Continued

IBOMA – Unique Structure, Unique Properties

By Wally Kesler | March 11, 2026

The whole isn’t always the sum of the parts concerning the relationship between copolymers and their monomers. Some monomers have an outsized influence on polymer properties. One monomer that can bring a unique set of properties when used as in … Continued

The Evolution of Food Thickeners and Additives

By Staff | March 4, 2026

For food and beverage formulators, the role of thickeners and additives has evolved far beyond simple viscosity control. As we move into 2026, the industry is balancing a complex trifecta: achieving high-performance functional attributes, adhering to an aggressive “Clean Label” movement, … Continued

The Green Wave: Navigating Bio-Based Surfactants in H&I Cleaning Formulations

By Staff | March 4, 2026

Bio-based surfactants – a class of cleaning agents derived from renewable biological resources rather than petrochemicals are surging across the industry. For chemists and formulators, understanding the nuances of these ingredients, emerging trends, and market dynamics is no longer a niche interest but a … Continued

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Personal Care & Cosmetics

Best Practices for Formulating with Niacinamide

By Staff | October 21, 2026

Why Niacinamide Matters to Formulators Unlike many trend-driven cosmetic actives, niacinamide offers multiple benefits across varied consumer needs while maintaining excellent water solubility and formulation flexibility. As a precursor to NAD+ and NADP+, niacinamide participates in cellular energy metabolism and … Continued

Biotech pushing circular economy and innovation, with a missing link

By Barbara Olioso | October 7, 2026

In my years of reviewing INCI lists and assessing ingredients against certification standards, I have watched biotechnology move quietly from the edge of the formulation to its centre, with the latest buzzword being precision fermentation. It is one of the … Continued

Mascara Troubleshooting Guide: Diagnosing application, wear, stability, and package-interaction failures

By Staff | September 16, 2026

Mascara performance emerges from the combined behavior of waxes, pigments, film formers, emulsifiers, rheology modifiers, process conditions, and the applicator. This guide helps formulators move from a visible symptom to a focused, testable response. A disciplined troubleshooting sequence Define the … Continued

Get More Out of Prospector® AI Search: Helpful Tips

By Staff | September 14, 2026

The new Prospector AI Search experience, part of ULTRUS® software from UL Solutions, is built for formulators and chemists and leverages trusted Prospector data to help you get answers faster and explore new formulations with confidence. How Prospector AI Search … Continued

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

Plastics

4D Printing – the extra dimension

By Andy Pye | October 28, 2026

For decades, additive manufacturing (AM) has focused on optimising three-dimensional spatial architectures, optimising strength-to-weight ratios within rigid, static constraints. However, the emergence of four-dimensional (4D) printing introduces a paradigm shift: moving from static structural optimization to dynamic, time-dependent, so-called kinetic … Continued

Accelerating E&E Infrastructure Expansion with Extruded Specialty Resins

By Paid Content | October 20, 2026

Specialty Thermoplastics Can Enable New Designs, Deliver Enhanced Performance and Processability, and Address Regulatory Changes Authors: Jim Creeley, Yohana Pérez, Kristopher Rexius, SABIC’s Specialties Business Manufacturers of rigid, extruded profiles for electrical and electronics (E&E) applications face a dual challenge. … Continued

PART 2: AI Data Centers Offer Huge Polymers Promise

By Bob Grace | October 14, 2026

Part 2 of 2 (see Part 1 here) Like them or not, artificial intelligence (AI) data centers have undeniable growth prospects. The construction boom related to the build-out of these often massive facilities is real, and several material suppliers are … Continued

PART 1: AI Data Centers Generating Heat –– Literally & Figuratively

By Bob Grace | September 30, 2026

Artificial intelligence data centers are generating plenty of heated debate. These massive facilities, some spanning more than 1 million square feet, promise jobs and new investment for local communities. At the same time, they require huge amounts of energy and … 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 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

Paint & Coatings

How Paint is Formulated

By Collaboration | October 28, 2026

A paint batch can look fine in the can and still fail where it matters: on the surface. It must spread without excessive spatter, cover the substrate, dry evenly, develop the intended sheen, and withstand cleaning or weathering in service. … Continued

Is the Dress Blue and Black or White and Gold? CIELab Knows the Answer.

By Wally Kesler | October 14, 2026

In 2015, the internet blew up with a controversy so divisive that people from Taylor Swift to a United States Senator felt they had to weigh in. What question was so important that millions of people were compelled to post … Continued

Epoxy Coatings Beyond Ambient Cure

By Collaboration | September 30, 2026

Epoxy coatings are often associated with the familiar two-component epoxy–amine system, but epoxy functionality supports a much broader set of coating technologies. Depending on resin architecture and cure route, an epoxide may form the primary network, react with a carboxyl-functional … Continued

Hydrophobic Coatings and Pigments: From Water Beading to Durable Protection

By Collaboration | 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

Cleaners

Foam or Failure?

By Staff | October 7, 2026

A surfactant that performs well alone can lose stability, detergency, or foam control when combined with builders, solvents, polymers, electrolytes, antimicrobial actives, or real-world dilution of water. A structured compatibility program reveals those interactions before scale-up. Why compatibility testing matters … 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 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

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

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

Food, Beverage & Nutrition

AI Formulation and the Compliance Verification Gap

By Guest Author | October 7, 2026

By Laurie , RIBUS, Inc AI-assisted formulation tools have shortened ingredient discovery cycles in food R&D, reducing what once took weeks of bench trials to a short list of viable candidates. What has not changed at the same pace is … Continued

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

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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