ADDITIVES | ANTIMICROBIALS
Antimicrobials – an M&A hotspot
The antimicrobials market has seen considerable merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in recent months. In January, for example, Sweden’s Polygiene bought business related to the SteriTouch material portfolio from UK company Radical Materials. The acquisition was made through its subsidiary Addmaster, a UK-based business it acquired a year earlier. “There are great synergy opportu- nities for Polygiene to increase its market share in antimicrobial prod- ucts for plastics, coatings and paints,” says company CEO Ulrika Björk. “Polygiene will buy the customers and incorporate them into Addmaster’s production set-up.” Late last year, Arxada (formerly
Lonza Specialty Ingredients) complet- ed its acquisition and merger with Troy Corporation. Both were leading
Below: BioCote has permanently ended supply of zinc
pyrithione antimicrobial masterbatches globally
following its Reprotoxic Category 1b classification in the EU
players in antimicrobial technology and Helena Kim, Global Business Unit Manager – Plastics with Troy, says have now combined into a single powerful force in performance additives. “This combination represents a number of advantages for customers, as we leverage the platforms, resourc- es, technical expertise, services, and portfolios of the two companies,” she says. “We are offering customers our combined product portfolios, includ- ing the established Micropel, Plas- tiguard, and Vanquish lines of antimi- crobials, and Acrawax and Glycolube lines of plastic additives, comprising one of the broadest ranges of active chemistries and formulated products in the plastics and textiles markets. Customers will benefit from a wide selection of advanced chemistries for optimum performance, formulating
Norovirus, Rotavirus and Adenovirus, according to European Standard 14476:2013+A2:2019. The products also comply with the European Directive on toy safety (2009/48/EC). “We have some customers who are in the final process of homolo- gating the final formulation with ADINS Protection for toys,” says Sacristán.
Market regulation Antimicrobial additives are tightly regulated and use is controlled in key global markets, explains UK-based BioCote. In Europe, the placing on the market and use of biocidal products is regulated by BPR 528/2012 (the Biocidal Products Regula-
flexibility, and regulatory compliance, as well as the company’s enhanced R&D capabilities.” Switzerland’s HeiQ invested significantly during 2021 in novel built-in antimicrobial technologies for plastics and coatings through the acquisition of Hong Kong-based Life Material Technologies and Germany’s RAS. Life markets the Life Natural botanical-based active technology together with a broad portfolio of metallic and synthetic organic antimicrobials ; RAS offers a BPR- listed metallic silver technology. Last year, also saw Microban
International bring together its Microban and Ultra-Fresh brands and technologies. The move follows the 2016 acquisition of Thomson Re- search Associates and completes the integration of the two organisations.
tion); in the US, antimicrobial additives are regu- lated by the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) under the governance of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). BioCote notes that under FIFRA, there are two
categories for antimicrobial products – pesticides and treated articles. Companies manufacturing products that incorporate antimicrobial technology can either register their product as a pesticide or market their product as a treated article. Pesticides need to be registered in a specific category that indicates how they are meant to be used. A treated article is a product that contains a pesticide for the purpose of protecting the product itself and is exempt from the requirement to register as long as certain requirements detailed under FIFRA are met. The company says that registering a product containing antimicrobial additives as a pesticidal product can be a costly and lengthy process. BioCote says it puts regulatory compliance top
IMAGE: BIOCOTE 28 COMPOUNDING WORLD | July 2022
of its agenda, citing a recent decision to cease supply of zinc pyrithione. It says, when the Euro- pean Commission implemented the Commission Delegated Regulation 2020/1182 in March this year, an “unexpected addition” to the list of prohibited substances was zinc pyrithione (ZnPT), which has been commonly used as an active anti-fungal ingredient for decades. “Formally, ZnPT now has the reclassification of a Reprotoxic
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