Unilever, Galaxy sign growth charter

The collaboration will cover Unilever’s Home Care, Personal Care and Beauty & Wellbeing businesses

Unilever and Galaxy Surfactants are entering a new phase of their 45-year partnership after signing a Partnership Growth Charter focused on surfactant innovation, supply resilience and competitiveness. The agreement will combine Galaxy’s surfactant science and value-engineering capabilities with Unilever’s formulation expertise, innovation capabilities and consumer insights.

The companies aim to accelerate the development of surfactant technologies and chemistries, with the goal of translating scientific advances into product performance and consumer experiences. The collaboration will cover Unilever’s Home Care, Personal Care and Beauty & Wellbeing businesses.

Unilever and Galaxy focus on surfactant innovation

The partnership has already produced several joint developments. Galaxy’s surfactant expertise has contributed to reformulations of Dove body wash, helping Unilever balance cleansing performance with mildness for sensitive skin.

Galaxy’s high-foaming surfactants have also supported the reformulation of Lifebuoy soap bars, helping balance sustainability objectives with consumer expectations around cleansing and lather. Its powder surfactant capabilities have contributed to powder-to-liquid handwash formats, which can reduce transportation and packaging requirements while allowing consumers to dilute the product at home.

Companies expand supply capacity in North America

The companies are also working together in North America to establish shared capacity closer to consumers. This marks the first collaboration between the two companies of this type in the region.

The Partnership Growth Charter sets out three priorities: accelerating new chemistries that improve product performance and consumer experience; exploring bio-based alternatives and lower-carbon technologies while investing in strategic capacity; and improving competitiveness through closer collaboration and value-chain innovation.

Partnership targets resilience and long-term growth

Natarajan Krishnan, Managing Director, Galaxy Surfactants Ltd: "Our relationship with Unilever has been built over more than 45 years on a foundation of trust, shared values and a common pursuit of excellence. As markets, technologies and consumer expectations continue to evolve, enduring partnerships become even more important in driving meaningful progress. At Galaxy, our philosophy of 'Chemistry Creates Care' has always guided our approach to innovation and collaboration. This Charter reinforces our commitment to combining scientific expertise to create long-term value for the home and personal care industries."

Shailendra Sadera, Chief Procurement Officer, Unilever: "The signing of the Partnership Growth Charter with Galaxy marks a joint commitment to unlocking innovation to grow our Home Care, Personal Care and Beauty & Wellbeing Business Groups. It demonstrates how we partner to win by building strategic, long-term relationships that unlock collaborative innovation, transformation and value for both Unilever and our partners. Together with Galaxy, our ambition is to set the benchmark for how partnerships can accelerate innovation, strengthen resilience and create capacity for sustainable growth."

Surfactants underpin household and personal care products

Surfactants are used in detergents, household cleaners, shampoos and body washes to support functions including cleaning, foaming and spreading. Unilever and Galaxy will focus their collaboration on technologies intended to improve product performance while supporting sustainability goals and consumer experiences.

The partnership also supports Unilever’s Desire at Scale growth model, which combines scientific development with sensorial experiences across its product portfolio.

www.unilever.com

www.galaxysurfactants.com

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