Coast Southwest Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Coast Southwest is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a year-long appreciation of the company’s history and a commitment to continued growth and innovation, according to its president Joseph C. Cimo.

“Over the last 25 years, Coast Southwest has evolved from a parochial startup business to a full-service, regional chemical distributor,” said Cimo. “Our corporation reached this significant milestone thanks to the dedication and hard work of our employees, the loyalty of our customers, and the excellent products and service provided by our suppliers.”

Coast Southwest was incorporated in California in 1985 as Coast Chemical, Inc. In 2003, it acquired the Southwest Silicones division of Path Silicones in Grand Prairie, TX and operated in the Dallas, TX branch as Coast Southwest. Two years later, Coast expanded the Texas operations to begin manufacturing silicone emulsions.In the years that followed, Coast Southwest entered the inter-mountain region and opened its Salt Lake City, UT regional office and distribution center. The Chandler, AZ regional office began operations in 2007.

In May 2008, the company was renamed Coast Southwest, Inc., and all locations began operating under one name. In 2009, Coast Southwest achieved third party site verification of its compliance with the National Association of Chemical Distributors’ (NACD) Responsible Distribution Process.
More info: www.coastsouthwest.com

ISP Forms Alliance in India For UV Absorbers
International Specialty Products Inc. has forged a manufacturing alliance with Vivimed Labs Ltd., Hyderabad, India, to optimize manufacturing assets dedicated to UV absorbers and jointly market select products widely used in consumer sprays and lotions for protection from UVA and UVB. Beginning Oct. 1, ISP will add UVA and UVB absorbers manufactured by Vivimed Labs to its portfolio of sun protection products, with full support from ISP’s global sales, marketing and technical service teams.

According to Robert Frick, senior vice president, supply chain, the time is right to partner with a flexible manufacturer of UV actives with high quality production assets in India.

“The manufacturing alliance with Vivimed Labs is beneficial for ISP in that it provides us with the capability to improve our sunscreen value offering in the marketplace,” he said. “Working alongside Vivimed, we are better positioned to supply long-established sunscreen technologies to customers, and at the same time, produce ample supplies of our flagship technologies marketed under the Escalol trade name. ISP looks forward to working with Vivimed Labs, a manufacturer of actives with an excellent track record in UV absorber technology.”
More info: www.ispcorp.com

New Lanolin Website From IOI
Specialized ingredient company Imperial-Oel-Import (IOI), Hamburg, Germany, has launched a comprehensive web portal on lanolin.

“We’ve developed it as the first stop for industry professionals wishing to learn about lanolin and find out more about this amazing substance’s uses in personal care, medical and industrial applications,” said product manager Mirko Rauchfuss.

The website features detailed information on lanolin’s raw material, manufacturing, history and applications.
More info: www.lanolin.com

Rice University Professor Wins 2010 Glycerin Award
Escherichia coli, aka E. coli, is often identified as a bacterium that contributes to foodborne illness. But research led by a Rice University scientist has discovered ways to use a safe, non-pathogenic E. coli to convert glycerin into high value fuels and chemicals.

Dr. Ramon Gonzalez of Rice University in Houston, TX received the 2010 Glycerin Innovation Award during the annual meeting of the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS).The award is sponsored annually by The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) and the National Biodiesel Board (NBB).

Gonzalez and his team of researchers identified the metabolic processes and conditions that allow a known strain ofE. coli to convert glycerin into ethanol. Glycerin is the major byproduct of biodiesel production. According to Gonzalez, scientists previously believed that the only organisms that could ferment glycerol were those capable of producing a chemical called 1,3-propanediol, also known as 1,3-PDO. But neither the bacteriumE. coli nor the yeast Saccharomyces—the two workhorse organisms of biotechnology—were able to produce 1,3-PDO.

But the researchers discovered pathways and mechanisms that mediate glycerol fermentation in E. coli. That enabled them to develop new technologies for converting glycerol into high-value chemicals. In essence, they designed strains of E. coli that could produce a range of products from biofuels, ethanol, hydrogen and organic acids.

The award, which includes a $5,000 honorarium, was presented during the AOCS annual meeting in Phoenix.
More info: ramon.gonzalez@rice.edu