Exploring new ways to produce cosmetic pigments – Interview with Merck and Glatt about the cooperation and the project
Using completely new technology, pigment specialists at Merck and Glatt Ingenieurtechnik’s technology and production experts have worked closely together to produce an innovative range of cosmetic pigments. The Darmstadt-based Merck Group placed an order for the development and construction of a plant based on chemical vapour deposition (CVD) after successful joint trials at Glatt’s location in Weimar. The partner companies were interviewed about the cooperation and the project.
Interview partners:
Dr Katarzyna Sztuka currently serves as the Head of EMEA Regional Marketing for Merck Electronics, Surface Solutions with experience and interest in cosmetics, automotive and industrial decorative & functional materials. With a Ph.D. in Chemistry (Biotechnology specialization) and an M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering, she possesses a strong foundation in both academia and practical application.
With a special interest in fluidisation technology and particle formulation processes, Dipl.-Ing. Arne Teiwes specialises in solids process engineering and particle technology. He worked as a project engineer at Glatt Ingenieurtechnik (Weimar, Germany). Now focusing on process development and high temperature solids processing, he is currently focusing on New Technologies and Technology Development at Glatt.
Interview
EuroCosmetics: How did the cooperation between Merck and Glatt Ingenieurtechnik (GIT) to produce Ronaflux® pigments come about?
Dr Katarzyna Sztuka: Merck and Glatt have had a successful partnership for many years. For example, Glatt manufactures equipment for Merck’s Healthcare and Life Science divisions. Producing Ronaflux® pigments, which are cosmetic products, requires a special quality and purity standard. This infrastructure was already in place at Glatt or could be expanded quickly and cost-effectively. As a plant and process specialist for fluidised bed technology, Glatt had the relevant know-how required to set up a production plant for Ronaflux® pigments.
EC: What development and engineering services did Glatt Ingenieurtechnik provide?
Arne Teiwes: As well as developing the customised plant technology for Merck, we also built the entire process line at our technology centre. It’s owned by Merck, but we operate it on-site and act as a contract manufacturer of Ronaflux® pigments for them. Here, we’re combining our experience as process and application developers, equipment and plant manufacturers, GMP-compliant factory planners and contract manufacturers. We’re able to do this because we can literally unite all the required competencies for a wide range of industries “under one roof.” The Dryflux technology, for example, that’s used to produce the Ronaflux® pigments, was developed by Merck at laboratory scale and then scaled-up and optimised by GIT.
Continue reading the interview
Source: Glatt website Exploring new ways to produce cosmetic pigments – Interview with Merck and Glatt about the cooperation and the project
originally published in the magazine Euro Cosmetics, issue 9-10/2023, Inter-Euro Medien GmbH