PC: Why do you use the phrase “The beauty of chemistry” in promotional material?
RS: This symbolises the connection between the markets we serve in personal care and the products we offer which are based on a diverse range of technologies and chemistries. Our business is focused on supplying the world’s leading personal care companies and helping them deliver their marketing strategies in making consumers feel better about themselves (from clean and coloured hair to fairer and smoother skin) and improving their lives (safer products through the use of anti-microbial agents) and in our opinion that clearly demonstrates “The beauty of chemistry”.
PC: How does your involvement in the pharmaceutical sector translate into benefits for the personal care industry?
RS: Our pharmaceutical business develops and manufactures both its own and third party formulated pharmaceuticals and neutraceuticals – we have extensive experience in developing formulations for creams, ointments, lotions, tablets, gels and capsules and associated packaging requirements. The key to success in personal care is based on formulating a wide variety of active ingredients, stabilisers and carrier materials into a product with a selected shelf life and activity. Thus both businesses have similar needs and wants. We are using our expertise in formulations within the pharmaceutical sector to demonstrate the benefits of our personal care products in end product applications. We are also looking to develop further our technical service support so that when customers have questions regarding how our products are performing, we will be able to provide guidance and advice. We see this as a growing opportunity for Vivimed Labs to differentiate itself further from the competition.
PC: What do you view currently as the greatest challenges in meeting global regulations set for the personal care industry?
RS: Ensuring that there is close and timely dialogue between all stakeholders and especially members within the supply chain from raw materials to finished personal care products. In many instances it is the chemical company or raw material supplier who has to carry the burden of increasing regulations when many partners forget that our industry’s products are usually the ones that enable the finished product to be effective in its applications. Currently, one of our key products, VIV-20 (Triclosan), is being assessed in both Europe (Biocidal Products Directive) and in the US. This product has both personal and non personal care applications and is regarded as one of the best products in its markets. However, some stakeholders have concerns with the product and we have decided, along with a number of our major customers, to set up a task force to support the product and to enter into open dialogue with any stakeholders who have an interest. The challenge is persuading stakeholders within the supply chain to join and lend support. We all have a duty to educate society about the benefits of chemistry and its beauty.
PC: Do you expect the importance of “innovative, high-end” chemistry to significantly increase in the next five years?
RS: The simple answer is “yes” and not just in chemistry, we will be aiming to innovate across all aspects of our business in order that we can not only meet the changing demands of our customers but also identify opportunities before others see them. Remaining at the forefront of leading edge chemistry will remain a key driver but we will be combining this with other science-based disciplines. Our UK R&D team is currently working on the next generation of chemicals that will be required for the emerging plastic electronics industry. Our customers in personal care (e.g. smart packaging of personal care materials) will ultimately use products from this industry. So we aim to be both inside and outside the packaging and again there is the opportunity to leverage this into our pharmaceutical business.
PC: How do you see the profile of personal care ingredient research and development generally evolving over the next decade?
RS: In a similar line to our own developments, innovation will happen at the interfaces between disciplines and industries and also due to the changing global demographics and markets. We see cosmeceuticals growing much more in importance and this will be led by the traditional personal care majors or by the food industry and to that extent the roles the global retailers play in shaping the markets of the future. As an Indian headquartered company, we see daily the tremendous changes that are happening within the growing and dynamic Asian and LATAM markets and we are well positioned to offer solutions. In particular, we are seeing demands for different product offerings for consumers, who although at a different level of disposable income from consumers in Europe or the USA, still want to use modern, high-end products. More products developed for these consumers will ultimately find their way into other markets and we see Indian and Chinese personal care companies emerging to become much bigger players on the global stage. This is what will drive research and innovation within the industry.
PC: Do you believe the heightened importance of “naturals” will continue?
RS: Yes, and this is being driven by the demands for innovative solutions. We already have a number of natural based products in our existing portfolio in skin lightening and sun tanning. We are developing the Nisarg brand (Hindu word for naturals) to cement our position within the market and products from this portfolio will be offered alongside our chemistry based solutions. We have established a R&D team consisting of natural product scientists to work on a range of products to support our personal care business
PC: What do you believe will be the prominent opportunities and difficulties presenting in the development of “naturals” in the next few years?
RS: The opportunities lie within every segment that we operate in but especially in skin care and anti-microbials and our work is focused on these segments. Obviously, India has a very diverse, and in some cases unique, flora, and we aim to offer Indian solutions for global opportunities. The issues with naturals are in some ways not dissimilar to chemicals – product safety, availability and differentiation. Our approach to the development of these products will use our strengths as an innovative chemical company. Availability and continuity of supply will be the major opportunities for Vivimed Labs to differentiate itself and we are developing partnerships with local framers to cultivate plants of interest. In tandem we will also be evaluating biotechnological and other solutions to ensure a reliable and consistent supply.
PC: What opportunities will be opened soon through the use of micro-encapsulation?
RS: Encapsulation technology enables our customers to use our products in different ways, and in some cases actually improve the performance of their own products. For instance in sun care, many products contain a combination of avis (avobenzone) and cinnamon (octyl methoxy cinnamate) in certain ratios. It is known that when these two products are combined, they actually react and work against one another, thus lowering the efficacy of the formulated product. Our solution enables the products to be combined in any ratio required by the customers and this combination technique allows both products to work at their optimum levels. We have developed this novel encapsulation technology and we are interested in exploiting it further.
PC: Do you consider that suppliers of personal care raw materials and ingredients will have to give more attention to precisely meeting the needs of “niche” market segments?
RS: This will become more important as businesses look to differentiate from their competition and for Vivimed Labs we will continue to offer both products that can be used industry wide but also specific niche products. In addition, by offering complementary technologies and solutions in areas such as naturals, encapsulation and formulatory guidance, we can offer products in novel and customer specific manners
PC: Do you envisage that driving products to market ever-faster will be a continuing trend?
RS: Our global society gets faster and faster and demands new products constantly so this is the trend that all organisations now have to live in. But at the heart of all of this is the key trend of customer satisfaction which will never change only how you can achieve it.