COMPANY PROFILE
Making syndet more simple In recent years, Stephenson has developed and patented various formulations for extruded product like syndet, including the launch in 2018 of Syndopal 300-MB, an ultra-mild 100% soap- free syndet base. The firm claims this is the world’s first “processable” syndet for easy manufacturing of shampoo, skincare and body bars. “There’s always been a range of products sold
by different companies called syndets but they run through extruders really slowly and the machines create friction, and it gets hot and sticky. People couldn’t really process them. “So, the obstacle was making a synthetic
product that is mild and could be used as a shampoo bar but, fundamentally, processed using the equipment people have already got.” While the rise of shampoo bars and other
waterless beauty trends seems unstoppable, Bentley is aware of the need for the personal care industry to improve product quality. “I think it will go relatively slowly to begin with,
and that’s where we’re found our big opportunity at the moment - solid format products for skincare and hair care - but not at the detriment of production and cost. “There is a section of the market who will
accept a slight loss in performance because of the benefit environmentally - but not many. People tend to not want to make any sacrifices in performance. So, our challenge - and what I think we’re achieving - is making shampoo and conditioner that actually work.” Stephenson expects the solid format market to
grow significantly and has bought a custom-made machine from Italian industrial equipment supplier Mazzoni to increase syndet production volume. “You don’t need a lot of the $20-30 billion
dollar market worldwide to move towards solids for it to be a really big market. My personal view is the younger generation of consumers really care and if we produce a product which performs as well as a liquid they will move.” Bentley says the key to a high quality solid
format shampoo bar is the blend of surfactants. “People want to get loads of lather because
that feels nice but if you use too much surfactant or the wrong kinds of surfactant to create it, you’re washing your hair too well and it takes all the natural stuff out of your hair. “The challenge is to take the right blend of
surfactants and make a solid that processes on a production line at scale. That’s the hard bit, and I think we’ve achieved it as we have solid shampoos on the market with several massive consumer brands using our base.”
Building a train set As well as product innovation and streamlining its business – it sold around 60% of turnover five years ago to focus on personal care - Stephenson has implemented a collegiate working style with straightforward strategy to get the most from its employees. “I’ve learnt from running the business that the most important thing is people, and the second most important thing is a clear strategy that everybody understands and buys into. About five years ago, we broke down our strategy onto a single page. “We broke it down into very specific
www.personalcaremagazine.com
projects, who is in charge of them, what the team is, and what they were trying to achieve, into bitesize chunks.” Bentley says the collegiate approach has
changed the business for the better. “We have enormous intellectual diversity. I’m very keen on understanding and knowing weaknesses - it’s way more important than knowing strengths. “Knowing what you’re not good at allows
you to get other people to help you. People who understand their weaknesses ask for help, and asking for help builds trust and builds teams.” Bentley also believes in gender equality. The
company’s 120 employees are split roughly 50- 50 male and female. “When I joined, it was pretty much only men.
Two of the main board are female, and our head of engineering is female. That’s because we’ve got the culture right.
“But one of the things I’m most proud of is
the balance of young, enthusiastic people and experienced people who have been here a long time. Everybody is building the same train set and they all have responsibility for bits of it. That’s my key thing.”
Made in Britain Bentley harbours ambitions to be a farmer. He owns a small farm and his office is furnished with farming pictures, model tractors and the like. That ambition is manifest in his desire to turn crops grown locally – oilseed rape, hemp, flax, meadowfoam etc. - into ingredients for personal care.
“I think I can prove it can be done…I can go
to a farmer and say, ‘Please could you grow me 100 acres, I will buy the seed, I will crush it, I will turn into a cosmetic product’. There’s a lot fewer
October 2022 PERSONAL CARE
99
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108
