Caflon® surfactants from Univar now available across Europe, offering substitutes for banned nonylphenol ethoxylates

Citation

(2005), "Caflon® surfactants from Univar now available across Europe, offering substitutes for banned nonylphenol ethoxylates", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 34 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/prt.2005.12934dad.009

Caflon® surfactants from Univar now available across Europe, offering substitutes for banned nonylphenol ethoxylates

Caflon^® surfactants from Univar now available across Europe, offering substitutes for banned nonylphenol ethoxylates

Keywords: Coatings technology, Surfactants

The European Union ban on nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) and its intermediate, nonylphenol (NP), at one time threatened compromises in surfactant performance for makers of products from detergent to biocides. That situation has changed: Univar NV, a world leader in chemical distribution, has begun distributing its Caflon^® brand of substitutes for NPE surfactants and NP-free intermediates throughout Europe.

The Caflon range provides the only across-the-board substitutes for NP and NPE and includes ethoxylated nonionic, alcohol ethoxylate and alcohol alkoxylate surfactants which can be used as wetting agents, surfactants and intermediates for a broad range of industries, such as textiles, in paint and coatings, for scouring and speciality cleansers or as emulsifiers or as wetting agents in liquid detergents. Supplies to customers are guaranteed through sourcing agreements with major Western European surfactant producers, providing multiple sources of raw materials required.

“Univar undertook the formulation and distribution of Caflon proactively to aid customers facing the regulatory ban against NPEs”, said Henri Marc Perrin, European Business Manager Performance Products, Univar Europe. “The Caflon product initiative reflects Univar's aim to provide comprehensive answers to challenges, not simply with the traditional tools of distribution, warehousing and logistics, but with new solutions”.

Beyond the distribution of the Caflon products, Univar maintains two specialised formulation facilities. Here, detergents or cleanser manufacturers are supported in fine tuning Caflon- based formulations to ensure the full quality of products previously dependent on NPEs.

For further information, visit the web site: www.univarcorp.com.