History

The Süd-Chemie AG emerged from the BAG - "Bayerische Aktiengesellschaft für chemische und landwirtschaftlich-chemische Fabrikate" - a joint stock company for chemical and agricultural chemical products founded in 1857 with a capital stock of 500,000 gulden.

The famous scientist and inventor Justus von Liebig was one of its founding members.

The impetus for the joint stock company came from the high-ranking civil servant and gentleman farmer Reichsrat Julius von Niethammer.

Other founding members were the banker Josef von Hirsch, Prof. Dr. Carl N. Fraas, professor for agriculture at the University of Munich and Dr. Wilhelm Mayer, chemist and assistant to Justus von Liebig, who was later to become the company's first chief executive. King Maximilian II of Bavaria held shares in the BAG.

Innovative concepts, work and the highest safety standards have brought Süd-Chemie to a top position in its field. The Süd-Chemie AG, a public limited company, developed into the worldwide group we know today.

In 1982, the 125th anniversary of the company's foundation, associated companies already numbered five in Europe and another five abroad, total sales were recorded at DM 265 million.

In 1993 the company structure was modernized and improved and the two major pillars of business, "Adsorbents and Additives" and "Catalysts" were established as separate divisions. At the same time the World Committee (WOCO) was instituted, chaired by representatives of the various constituent companies, in order to make the most of the chances offered to the company by the challenges and opportunities of globalization. Today, with a total worldwide turnover of over 763 million € (2003), the Süd-Chemie Group holds a top position in its fields of specialization.

Now

Sud-Chemie continues to make advances in the Creation of Performance Technology for the Personal Care Industry. With the broadest scope of Rheological additives available in the world, we provide the formulator with an array of cost effective options for achieving desired thixotropic flow and other rheological properties including syneresis control, enhanced emulsion stability, and improved payoff.

Additionally, we guarantee our naturally derived products to be of the highest quality providing the consumer with a safe and esthetically pleasing finished product.

The current product line includes:

• PURE THIX®:
  • Non-ionic polymer thickeners - Salt tolerant and compatible with cationic surfactants.
• Optigel® S-Grades:
  • Synthetic hectorite products - Layered silicate nanoparticles for transparent water phase thickening.
• Optigel® C-Grades:
  • Natural bentonite products - High purity hydrophilic Bentonite and Magnesium Aluminium Silicate.
• TIXOGEL®:
  • Vegetable based organoclay oil phase thickeners.
• Mastergels:
  • Ready to use gels in many cosmetic oils.
• RHEOCIN®:
  • Trihydroxystearin - Hydrogenated castor oil derived gellant for oil phase.
• USP Castor Oil
  • Available in American Region.

• Hair Care
• Skin Care
• Color Cosmetics
• Anti-perspirant
• Nail Lacquer
• Household Industrial & Institutional.