Technology Trends in Laundry Products

Technology Trends in Laundry Products: Far East/Asian Countries
Teruhisa Satsuki Lion Corporation, Research and Development Headquarters, Tokyo 132-0035, Japan
Introduction
Many Far East/Asian countries are now suffering economic turmoil. As a whole, however, these countries have achieved substantial economic growth since the last World Conference on Detergents in 1993. This paper presents an overview of the detergent industry in the region, focusing on the technology trends in laundry cleaning products. The overall picture of the regions detergent production and consumption per capita will be shown first. It will be followed by a detailed explanation of market demands in Japan and Southeast Asia. The focus will then switch to technical trends in detergent formulation. Finally, a summary will be given of several kinds of new technology that emerged in Japan in the past 5 years, because Japan is the front runner in this context.
TABLE 1 Detergent Production in Far East Countries (1000 tons, 1996)a Country Japan South Korea Taiwan China Thailand Malaysia Singapore Indonesia The Philippines Myanmer Laos Vietnam Total
aSource:
Total 609 219 142 2430 165 110 15 516 235 53 3 145 4642
Ciba.
Powder 535 176 115 1624 155 60 11 173 60 3 1 85 2998
Liquid 52 5 14 293 9 40 3 2 0 0 0 0 418
Others 22 38 13 513 1 10 1 341 175 50 2 60 1226
Detergents in Far East/Asian Countries

Detergent production volumes in several Far East/Asian countries are listed in Table 1. The production in Mainland China represents about one-half of the regions total. It should be pointed out that one-fourth of the total production comes from products other than powders or liquids. Especially in Indonesia, The Philippines, Myanmer, and Laos, other detergent forms such as pastes and bars exceed powders in their production volume.
The growth of the detergent market in the region during the 1990s is shown in Figure 1, which compares the 1990 production with that in 1996. Most countries experienced an increase in production, but Japan and South Korea have gone in the opposite direction.
Fig. 1. Detergent market growth in Far East countries. Source: Ciba.
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Fig. 2. Detergent consumption per capita in 1996 in Far East countries. Source: Ciba.
Figure 2 shows detergent consumption per capita. Generally, the more a countrys economy develops, the greater is its detergent consumption. This is not the case in Japan. Its low detergent consumption can be explained by the high ratio of compacts. A similar trend can be seen in South Korea and Taiwan. Mainland China is already the biggest detergent producer in the region, as shown in Table 1. Because the consumption per capita in China is still low, detergent production will definitely increase in the future.
Consumer Demands in Japan and Southeast Asian Countries

This section will analyze the consumer demand for laundry detergents in the region in terms of social structure and washing behavior. Population distribution by age seems to be a good indicator of social structure. Figure 3 shows the population by age for China, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand. The age distribution in Japan is typical of a developed country, with a small proportion of the young and a substantial proportion of the aged. This society is regarded as fully mature. On the other hand, the patterns for the other three countries form a more-or-less bell-shaped curve. The large proportion of working age population indicates that a large increase in the demand for laundry products can be expected in the future. Table 2 shows the washing habits in the region. In Japan, machine washing is dominant. In China, the figure is about 90% in Shanghai, and in Taiwan it exceeds 90%. In Malaysia and Thailand, machine ownership has increased in recent years, particularly in city areas. Top-loading machines seem to be dominant in the region. However, hand wash is still quite popular in Thailand, Indonesia, and The Philippines. Even washing machine owners often wash by hand. In these countries hand wash still is a matter of choice. Why? The answer seems to be that for
people in the region, washing, which means washing by hand, may be more than mere labor. Working unhurriedly in washing may be partly leisure and partly provide comfort through contact with cold water in a hot climate. Table 3 compares the consumer demands on detergents in Japan with those in Southeast Asia. In both areas, consumer demands reflect the way of life and social circumstances. In Japan, most of the demand on detergents can be classified as one of function. For Japanese housewives, washing seems to be only a task of duty. This means that laundry detergents must be functional and easy to handle. The important point for Japanese is how to save labor and space. Dissolution in low-temperature water and a reasonable price are also key issues. On the other hand, the best description for Southeast Asian detergents is their variety. As a result of the population structure, top priority among the demands would be a sufficient supply and good quality. The majority, which washes by hand, would prefer detergents of size and shape which make for easy handling, rich foam, a pleasant scent, rapid dissolution, and an affordable price. Mildness to skin may also be a factor. Laundry detergents in the region might almost assume the character of personal care rather than household products. Against this background, the detergent market can be understood more clearly. It is the reason why function is sought in Japan and a variety of products exists in Southeast Asia.
The Detergent Market in Southeast Asia

Recent Trends Recent market trends can be summarized as follows: LASbased (Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate) low-phosphate powders and several types of detergent coexist; regular powders are gaining again; new segment products are introduced
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Fig. 3. Population by age in Far East countries. Source: UN, 1995. Unit: 1,000. TABLE 2 Washing Habits in Far East Countries
aIn
Shanghai. bIn Bangkok. cIn Jakarta.
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TABLE 3 Consumer Demands on Laundry Detergents Japan: Function
T. Satsuki
Detergency (soil removal) Ease of handling Space saving Dissolution into low-temperature water Reasonable cost per performance Southeast Asia: Variety Sufficient supply of products Good handling in hand washing Rich foam Pleasant scent during washing Rapid dissolution Affordable price per unit product
with added functional ingredients, e.g., detergent with bleach activator, with softener, with ultraviolet (UV) protection, or with multienzyme systems. These trends can be explained by the consumer demands mentioned earlier. The LAS/low-phosphate formulations would guarantee a sufficient supply of products. The segment products are a response to a variety of consumer demands. Four countries in the region rate further examination: Thailand, Malaysia/Singapore, Indonesia, and The Philippines. Figure 4A shows that detergent production in Thailand and Malaysia/Singapore grew steadily from 1990 to 1996. Indonesia and The Philippines showed a production increase the first three years, followed by leveling off in the second three years, as shown in Figure 4B. Figure 5 shows market shares by detergent type in the area. In terms of variety of detergent type, Southeast Asia is at the top. The preferred type differs from country to country. In Malaysia/Singapore, liquids command close to one-third of the total, while detergent bars have nearly 10% of the market. Pastes are dominant in the Indonesian market, while detergent bars are dominant in The Philippines. At the same time, however, conventional and compact powders coexist in both markets. The only exception is Thailand where the product mix is close to that in East Asia or European countries. In Europe, conventional powders have been gaining popularity again in the past two years. The same trend can be observed in this area. Figure 6 shows that despite the economic growth in the area, conventional powder production had shrunk until 1994 but made a significant recovery in 1996. Although compact powders smoothly penetrated the market early in their introduction, they may not fit well in a market where washing by hand is the preference. New Technology in Southeast Asia A review of recent detergent technology in Southeast Asia reveals typical examples of technology globalization. Most new segment detergents employ several kinds of technology from Europe or America. These are listed in Table 4. One detergent in Thailand is claimed to be a Softergent, based on the presence of granulated bentonite. Another in Thailand offers a product concept of UV colorcare, providing a color-care effect on garments through the action of a UV absorber present as a com-
Fig. 4. Detergent production in Southeast Asia during the 1990s. Source: Ciba. Unit: 1,000 tons.
ponent. A bleach-activator system has been introduced already, and polyacrylate copolymer builders have been incorporated. The basic formulation in all Asian countries except Japan is a classical combination of LAS, STPP (Sodium Tripoly

TABLE 4 New Segment Detergents Found in Southeast Asiaa Concepts Softening effect UV color-care Bleach with activator Clay detergency
aUV, b(Tetra
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Key ingredients Granulated bentonite UV absorbent TAEDb/Perborate Polyacrylate
ultraviolet. Acetyl Ethylene Diamine).
Fig. 5. Detergent types perferred in 1996 in Southeast Asia. Source: Ciba. Paste: horizontally lined bar; liquid, vertically lined bar; compact powder, diagonally lined bar; conventional powder, shaded bar; detergent bar, open bar; soap bar, solid bar.
Phosphate), and zeolite. However, a variety of newly developed technologies is incorporated in the formulation to feature or to differentiate individual products in this region.
The Detergent Market in Japan

Recent Market Trends Several aspects make up recent trends in the Japanese detergent market: market shrinkage in recent years in both size
and volume; an overwhelmingly high ratio of compact detergents; almost no phosphate in household laundry detergents; appearance of new types of super-super compacts; and the introduction of new category products. Figure 7 shows annual laundry detergent shipments in Japan. Several characteristics need to be pointed out here. Market volume has shrunk and leveled off recently, partly because of the introduction of more concentrated products, and partly because of the economic downturn last year. As shown in Figure 7, the percentage of compacts among powders reached 90% last year. The next movement to be noted is the emergence of new segment or new category products: color-care detergents, prespotters, antibacterial detergents. It was once thought that the color-care concept would not be accepted by Japanese consumers, because of the mild Japanese washing conditions. This did not prove to be the case. Until last fall, only one national brand (NB) of prespotter was found, but now several NB prespotters are on the store shelves. Since they are classified as liquid detergents in usage statistics, activity in this category has pushed up the market share of liquids in recent months. One major heavy-duty powder claims an antibacterial function. This introduction is a response to the social awareness of sanitation, recently triggered by several virus infections. The new type of super-super compacts will be discussed below. Challenge for Compactness in Japanese Powder Detergents After Kao launched Attack, the first compact powder (dosage: 25 g/30 L), compacts soon became the most popular detergent form in Japan. Then more concentrated super compacts were introduced in 1995 (dosage: 20 g/30 L). Again in 1996, more concentrated, super-super compacts appeared (dosage: 15 g/30 L). This insistence on compactness has been seen only in Japan. An examination of the makeup of the super-super compacts reveals a handful of new technologies employed there. These include new surfactants, i.e., MES (methyl ester sulfonate) or nonionics, carboxylated polymers with high chelating and dispersion ability, multifunctional layered silicates, and a combination of advanced enzymes. New Technology in Japanese Laundry Products In addition to the super-super compacts, new bleach activators, new surfactants, and a new process for nonionic-based compacts are among the new technologies.
Fig. 6. Annual production of conventional powders in Southeast Asia. , Thailand; , Malaysia/Singapore; , Indonesia; , The Philippines.
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Fig. 7. Annual detergent shipment in Japan. Liquid, open bar; compact powder, diagonally lined bar; conventional powder, shaded bar; soap, solid bar. Source: MITI.
Bleach activators. Several key requirements exist for bleach activators. They must work efficiently at low temperatures and cause low fabric/dye damage. As a detergent ingredient, they must be compatible with other components and possess good storage stability. Since the last World Conference, two new bleach activators have been commercialized in Japan. They are listed in Figure 8. Nonanoyloxybenzenesulfonate (NOBS) is well-known. One of the newcomers is sodium dodecanoyloxybenzenesulfonate (DOBS), an analog of NOBS, and the other is an acid type, decanoyloxybenzoic acid (DOBA). The performance of activators is illustrated in Figure 9, which shows stain removal results of an evaluation of a series of acyloxybenzoic acids activators at ambient temperature in the presence of sodium percarbonate. The greatest bleaching boosting effect was obtained with acyl groups with carbon numbers between 8 and 12. This is the carbon number range in the activators that have been commercialized.
TABLE 5 Challenge for Compactness in Japanese Powder Detergents Reduction of dosage (for 30 L) 1987 25 g 1995 20 g 1996 15 g Super-super compacts incorporating: New surfactants (MESa, nonionics) Carboxylated polymers Layered silicates Advanced enzymes
a(Methyl
These activators are used not only in powder detergents or powder bleaches, but also in a liquid bleach. The bleach products claim bleaching power, deodorization, and even an antibacterial effect in a detergent formulation. New surfactants. New surfactants that have appeared since the last World Conference are narrow-range ethoxylates (NRE) and N-methylglucamides. Procter & Gamble first introduced glucamides in their dishwashing liquid, heavy-duty liquid (HDL), and their finefabric detergent. In 1996 Lion introduced a new HDL incorporating an NRE. The NRE is made with a metal oxide catalyst and has a narrow ethylene oxide (EO) distribution, and, as a result, high performance and low odor.
Ester Sulfonate).
Fig. 8. Bleach activators in Japanese laundry detergents. Abbreviations: NOBS, Nonanoyloxybenzene sulfonate; DOBS, Dodecanoyloxybenzene sulfonate; DOBA, Decanoyloxybenzoic acid.
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Fig. 9. Bleach performance of percarbonate with activators. Conditions: activator 25 ppm, percarbonate 83 ppm, washing 10 min, 25C, cotton.
The EO distribution of a C12EO7 type NRE is compared with that of a conventional alcohol ethoxylate (AE) in Figure 10. NRE is seen to have an obviously low level of both shortchain and long-chain EO adducts compared with that of the conventional ethoxylate. Typical advantages of NRE are listed in Table 6. They include low odor, good soil-removing ability, an antiredeposition effect for oily soils, and a narrow gelling range in aqueous solu-
tions. The narrow gelling range offers an advantage in that it permits low viscosity formulations with high levels of ethoxylate. Nonionic-Based Compact Powders. The impetus for the development of nonionic-based compact powders is the pursuit of further compactness. Nonionics permit not only formulations with lower surfactant levels, but they also reduce energy consumption by eliminating spray-drying. The technical
Fig. 10. Ethylene oxide distribution in narrow-range ethoxylates (NRE). AE, alcohol ethoxylate.
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TABLE 6 Advantages of NRE over Conventional Nonionicsa
aNRE,
narrow-range ethoxylate. AE, alcohol ethoxylate.
Fig. 11. Manufacturing process for nonionic-based powder detergents.
requirements here are to keep substantial amounts of liquid nonionics in the powder and to avoid bleeding of nonionics from powders during storage. New ingredients were employed in these formulations as well as a new production process for their manufacture. Kao launched a nonionic-based super-super compact in 1996. Figure 11 shows an example of the manufacturing process for nonionic-based compacts. The key components are oilabsorbers including amorphous silica and layered silicate. There is no spray tower in this process. Applicable granulation technologies include a Ldige (Gebrder Ldige Maschinenbau GmbH, Paderborn, Germany) mixer or a rotating granulator.
products. Basic formulations are LAS/STPP, while several kinds of new technologies have been introduced with the objective of product differentiation. Competition between new technologies and domestic products is energizing the market. (iii) Development of new technologies have been quite active in Japan. New developments such as super-super compact powders and a new bleaching system have appeared and have impacted market trends.
Future Outlook
The globalization in detergent technology is expected to continue in the future. This trend is unavoidable. From now on, new technology will be evaluated with a view to its ability to survive in the whole Asian market. Needless to say, the technology itself must provide superior performance and will be judged on its economic superiority, the degree to which it optimizes raw material sources, its impact on the environment, and how well it can be adapted to local consumer demands.
Summary
(i) Detergent markets in Far East/Southeast Asian countries have been developing steadily both in production volume and consumption per capita, although the figures for this year could be disappointing. (ii) Diversity in washing habits in Southeast Asian countries has given rise to a variety of consumer demands and laundry
Laundry Bars and Detergent Pastes: Worldwide Outlook

Richard Adams Colgate-Palmolive Company, Piscataway, New Jersey 08855 1343
Introduction
Laundry bars and detergent pastes still represent an important form used by consumers in high-growth, developing markets. Both forms provide good washing performance at low cost and permit multipurpose uses by consumers. The coverage of global consumption patterns, the focus on consumer habits and practices that drive the use of bars and pastes, and a review of recent technologies utilized in these product forms are featured.
TABLE 3 19931996 Consumption by Product Type for Top 80 Bar Market Countries Tons (000) Hard soap Syndet Powder Pastes Liquids 19193 4,491 1,158 7,319 395 360 1994 4,376 1,251 7,353 447 420 1995 4,423 1,455 8,260 474 472 1996 4,338 1,240 9,174 515 238 9396 % growth 3.4 7.1 25 30 34
Consumption of Laundry Bars and Pastes

In 1996, the worldwide consumption of laundry bars, pastes, and heavy-duty laundry detergents (powders/liquids) is estimated to be 22.3 million tons. Laundry bars represent about one-fourth (5.6 million tons) of all laundry detergents products, with laundry pastes a little over 2% (527 thousand tons) (Table 1). The focus will be on the areas where laundry bars and pastes are predominantly sold, covering 80 countries, representing 83% of the world population. North America and most of Western Europe are excluded because the bar and paste markets are small. Also excluded are parts of Eastern Europe and Africa where it is difficult to obtain data. When these areas are excluded (Table 2), the total tonnage decreases to 15.5 million tons. Laundry bars and pastes become a bigger piece, with the laundry bar consumption representing about one-third that of laundry detergents.
TABLE 1 1996 Worldwide Consumption of Laundry Bars and Pastes vs. Powders/Liquids (000 tons) Tons Powders/liquids Laundry pastes Laundry bars Total 16,167 527 5,635 22.3 million (%) 72.4 2.4 25.2
The total consumption of laundry detergent in 80 countries from 1993 to 1996 increased about 2.0 million tons (Table 3). The average annual growth rate was the highest for laundry pastes, followed by powders and syndets. Hardsoap bars experienced a slight decline. This is attributed to the increased use of powders as shown by the data in the table. In total, by-product type amounted to 59.2% powders, 28.0% hard-soap bars, 8.0% syndet bars, 3.3% laundry pastes, and 1.5% liquids. The data also demonstrate that this trend is driven by increases in powder tonnage, with bar tonages remaining fairly constant over the time period shown. For example, two countries which have contributed to this change in the laundry detergent market are India and China. In India, in the period from 1988 to 1996 (Fig. 1), syndet-bar consumption increased fourfold, from 200,000 to 780,000 tons, though this trend began to flatten from 1994 to 1996. Powder consumption quadrupled and is now at 1.2 million tons, while hard-soap consumption only increased
TABLE 2 1996 Consumption of Laundry Bars and Pastes vs. Powders/Liquids (000 tons) Tons Powders/liquids Laundry pastes Laundry bars Total 9,412 515 5,578 15.5 million (%) 60.7 3.3 36.0
Fig. 1. 19881996 consumption by product type for India. Shaded bar is syndet bar. Solid bar is powders. Open bar is hard soap bar.
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slightly (160,000 tons). The growth in powders and syndet bars can be attributed to population growth, a larger middle class, and the availability of these product forms. For China (Fig. 2), the combined laundry-bar and powder-detergent consumption has remained relatively flat in the 4 yr from 1992 to 1996. Within this period the hard-soap tonnages decreased from 700,000 to 455,000 tons. At the same time the powder detergent usage jumped 28% to 1.6 million tons in 1996. The syndet-bar market has not made any significant inroads in the Chinese market. Still, the consumption of both synthetic powder detergents and hard soap is expected to increase in the next few years. Laundry bars can be separated into two types. The first type is the hard-soap bar. This type of bar is made from raw materials such as animal tallow and/or vegetable oils including coconut, palm, or palm kernel. The second type is
Fig.2. 19921996 consumption by products type for China. Shaded bar is syndet bar. Solid bar is powders. Open bar is hard soap bar.
the synthetic detergent bar or syndet bar, whose formula generally resembles that of powdered detergents. Laundry paste is similar to syndet bar but contains a higher level of moisture. Analysis of overall consumption by product type shows that hard-soap bars still remain the dominant form compared to syndet bars (Table 3). Examination of laundry product consumption in selected regions (Fig. 3) reveals that in Africa the tonnage has shifted from bars toward powders, with the consumption of bars being equal to that of detergent powders. In Asia-Pacific and Latin America, bar consumption has risen slightly, but powder consumption has increased at a much faster rate. Paste usage is minimal in all areas but is most common in Asia-Pacific. Even within each region, consumption varies significantly by product type, and distribution between laundry bars and detergent powders encompasses a fairly wide range. The predominant form in the Philippines is the laundry bar, mostly syndet. On the other hand, Mexicos powder usage accounts for 80% of total consumption. Laundry bars in India still constitute a substantial market. Brazil is more or less evenly divided between bars and powders, and Venezuelas bar consumption is one-third of the total detergent market. Figure 4 shows the top ten bar markets. India is seen to be the leader in total laundry-bar usage, followed by Brazil, China, Pakistan, Mexico, and the Philippines. With the exception of China and Egypt (since 1992), these markets show increasing or flat bar tonnages. Usage of syndet bars is concentrated in India (66%) and the Philippines (17%) with some usage in Guatemala (3%), Malaysia (3%), Colombia (2%), and a few others. Laundry paste consumption is concentrated in Asia with total consumption estimated at 515 thousand tons. The number-one market is Indonesia, followed by China. Kenya and Vietnam are two new emerging markets for this product form. Paste is the most popular form in Indonesia because of consumer habits, practices, and preferences.
Fig. 3. 19921996 consumption by product type for China. Shaded bar is syndet bar. Solid bar is powders. Open bar is hard soap bar.
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Fig. 4. 1996 distribution laundry bar types in top 10 bar market countries.
Trends Influencing Laundry Bars and Detergent Pastes

The major factors which influence product use in this segment are: the local economies, consumer needs, washing machine ownership, the available technologies, governmental safety and regulatory issues, and new product trends. The following sections will contrast the ways in which these factors impact the detergent trends in hand-wash markets compared to those of developed machine-wash markets. Economic Considerations In the large bar and paste markets, the 1997 average per capita income in U.S. dollars ranged from approximately
$350 in India to approximately $4,000 in Mexico. These figures contrast with an average per capita income of about $26,000 in France, $2,000 in Colombia, $1,193 in the Philippines, $1,013 in Indonesia, $700 in China, and $508 in Zimbabwe. Still, the annual per capita consumption of laundry products in countries such as Colombia and Mexico is equivalent to the consumption of powders and liquids combined in France (Fig. 5). However, this could be partly due to use of compact and concentrated products in France and other European countries. In countries with lower family incomes, as in Mexico and Colombia, a much larger portion of the household budget is spent on laundering than in countries with high per capita incomes. Laundry pastes and bars are often packaged in a manner offering economy to the consumer. Pastes are packaged in
Fig. 5. 1996 annual consumption of detergents (kg/capita).
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poly bags, tubes, or tubs. Paste packages are designed to prevent excessive moisture loss that will result in unsatisfactory consistency. Laundry bars are either unwrapped, shrink-wrapped, or individually wrapped, and are produced in a variety of shapes and sizes. The shape of the bar can be round, rectangular or cylindrical, and may be irregular to make it easier to grasp. Bars are often produced as long blocks which are scored to produce two or three smaller bars upon breakage by at the groove by the consumer. Often bars are striated or speckled to provide additional aesthetic appeal. Economic considerations apply not only to the types of products in the market, but also to the way they are distributed and manufactured. In addition to the standard supermarkets, typical distribution channels of laundry products are small grocery stores and outdoor markets. For the bar and paste manufacturer, the use of local raw materials is often required to conserve foreign exchange, to support the local industry, and to provide the consumer with quality products at the lowest possible cost. Worldwide, the availability of raw materials for the industry varies from country to country. Generally, hard soap bars require no major imported raw materials, whereas imported ingredients are often used in syndet bars and pastes. For example, in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela, the bulk of the raw materials is available locally while in Central America, Africa, the Caribbean, and some Asian countries, most of the raw materials are imported. Typical imported ingredients include detergent alkylate, builders, and optical brighteners. There is a constant challenge to deliver available quality products which may require further raw-material supply simplification regionally or globally. Consumer Needs This section will review consumer needs by examining the laundry habits and washing conditions in various hand wash regions of the world and compare them to the developed washing machine markets in North America and Europe (Fig. 6). Laundering in bar and paste markets consumes a great deal of the homemakers time and effort because of the high incidence of hand washing and presoaking, low in the United States and moderate in Europe. In hand wash markets, cleaning standards for laundered garments are very high, and foam is viewed as an indication of effectiveness. The hand wash procedure for bar or paste
is fairly standard with slight variations from one country to another. The laundry is sorted, garments are wet, then the bar or paste is applied to the fabric over a bucket or tub containing the washload. White and lightly soiled garments are washed first. A laundry bar is used in two basic ways: as the primary cleaning agent or in combination with a detergent powder. If the laundry bar is used as the primary cleaning agent, it is used to soap the clothes. Usually there is a presoaking step that can range from less than 15 min to overnight. Frequently at this stage in some countries, it is the custom to sun bleach garments for improved whitening. Subsequently, the garments are scrubbed one at a time. If a laundry bar is used together with a powder, the powder is added to ambient water in one or more buckets or tubs and agitated by hand. The bar is used to scrub collars and cuffs or difficult spots and stains. In some instances, the bar is used to scrub the entire garment. As more and more garments are washed, the detergent concentration builds up in the basin. The buildup of detergent concentration from scrubbing with laundry bars and detergent powders leads to lots of suds. The load is then thoroughly rinsed, and the garments are hung to dry, either outside in the sun or inside the house. Laundering locations differ from country to country because washing is done wherever water is available. In Africa or in the Philippines, laundering may be done at the riverside or even around a well pump. Although laundering by machine is much less prevalent in bar markets than in markets such as North America or Europe, washing machine ownership is increasing (Table 4). In Brazil, 52% of households had acquired washing machines by 1996 compared to 34% in 1992. Over the same period, machine ownership has also increased in the Philippines and in Mexico. In some countries, such as India, machine ownership remains as low as 2.0%, but is slowly increasing. As washing machine ownership increases, it tends to favor consumption of powders over bars. For example, in Brazil, consumption ratio of powders/bars was 36%:64% in 1992. Since 1992, machine ownership has grown to 52% and with it, an increase of powder consumption to 53% of the market. In many developing countries, however, even households with washing machines do a fair amount of washing by hand to ensure that soiled garments receive the proper attention. For example, in Malaysia, about 42% of consumers use a combination of both hand and machine wash. The washing machine is often used as a laundry aid to the handwash procedure. In some cases, as in Romania or Venezuela, the laundry bar may be grated and used directly in the washing machine.
TABLE 4 Ownership of Washing Machine in Households 1992 India Philippines Guatamala Brazil Mexico France 1 8 18 54 40 84 1996 2 21 15 52 67 99
Fig. 6. Laundering time.
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The habits and practices, as well as the budget of the consumer in a particular region must be closely examined before a laundry product is formulated and manufactured. The products sold in each area must be designed by their manufacturers to deliver quality performance, convenience and value to the consumer and, in addition, to give consumers the variety of attributes meeting their special needs. Furthermore, they must be safe for both the consumer and the environment. Laundry Bar and Paste Technologies This section will discuss technologies involving laundry bar and paste technologies. Several different detergent technologies are available to address the specific needs of consumers who use laundry bars and pastes. The task of the laundry bar and paste manufacturer is to make and sell quality value products that meet the consumers expectations. As noted earlier, the majority of all laundry bars can be separated into two types, hard soap and syndet. The hard-soap bar is characterized by being high tallow or palm base soap at high moisture levels. Advantages of hard-soap bars include good cleaning, mildness, and low cost. Unfortunately, the cleaning efficacy and amount of foam are adversely affected by hard water. The second type is the syndet bar. In addition to surfactants and builders, a larger portion of the formulation is made up of binders or fillers which generate an economical solid bar. Advantages of syndet bars are superior performance and less sensitivity to hardness ions. Unfortunately, syndet bars generally cost more than hard-soap bars. The chemistries of syndet bars and pastes are similar and offer a wide variety of performance attributes. Typically, syndet bars and laundry pastes consist of the following basic components: surfactants for high foaming and soil removal; builder systems to control water hardness ions and disperse soils; antiredeposition agents to prevent washed-out soils from settling back onto clothes; optical brighteners to enhance the appearance of the garments; binders and processing aids to promote bar integrity and economy; fragrance to complement the cleaning function and add to consumer appeal. Additional ingredients may be utilized to satisfy specific consumer needs or market positioning. The workhorse surfactant used for syndet bars and pastes is alkylbenzene sulfonate (ABS) (Fig. 7). This material provides efficacy as well as the type of foaming profile which signals effective cleaning to the consumer. There is a continuing trend to convert from branched ABS to linear LAS which is driven by environmental and regulatory considerations. In general, branched ABS dis-
Fig. 7. Surfactants.
plays a better foam profile under soiled washing conditions than its linear counterpart. Bars with branched ABS harden more rapidly than with LAS, are more easily cut and packaged during production, and age properly. To overcome the softness problems exhibited by LAS syndet bars, bar-hardening ingredients such as zeolite, calcium oxide, fatty alcohol, magnesium sulfate, and phosphates are added during the early stage of bar production to bind water that would otherwise plasticize the mixture prior to bar formation. Although the majority of syndet bars utilize LAS, some regions around the world make use of indigenous raw materials. One such example is coco fatty alcohol sulfate used in the Philippines, driven by government market mandate to utilize to local raw material derived from coconut oil. A builder system is utilized in both syndet bars and pastes to help control free calcium and magnesium ions which are present in the wash water. Without builders such as phosphates, hardness ions would adversely affect the performance of the surfactant. Builders also provide added bar strength and aid in antiredeposition. A commonly used builder is sodium carbonate. This material is more economical to use, provides alkalinity for cleaning, and can be used alone or in combination with phosphate. In order to help prevent the redeposition of washed-out soils back onto clothes, both syndet bars and pastes make use of antiredeposition agents such as carboxymethyl cellulose and sodium poly aery late, in addition to phosphates. Most syndet bars and pastes contain optical brighteners. These ingredients help to brighten and enhance fabric appearance. In many laundry bar markets, consumers dry their garments out in the sun. Since, long exposure to ultraviolet radiation degrades the brightener molecules, sunlight stable brighteners have become very important. A major portion of syndet bar formulations is composed of ingredients known as binders or fillers. These are materials that help produce the solid form, aid in processing the bar and enable it to be lower in cost and more economical to use. Calcium carbonate (as talc) finds significant application as a filler because of its compatibility in the formulation and its abrasivity which complements the physical action of scrubbing. Other materials which have found use in this application include clay and starch. One of the most important ingredients found in these products is fragrance. The fragrance imparts a pleasant smell to the bar or paste itself, covering its base odor and providing aesthetic appeal for the consumer throughout the washing process. An additional ingredient that may be found in syndet bars and pastes is a photobleaching agent (Fig. 8). Bleaching performance is obtained from a photobleaching agent (PBA) when the wash garments are damp and exposed to sunlight. A PBA such as aluminum phthalocyaninesulfonate absorbs energy from the reddish part of the spectrum which is then transmitted to oxygen molecules in the water. The resulting activated oxygen (O2*) is able to oxidize stains to provide bleaching action even at low temperatures. Other additional ingredients that could be found in syndet bars and pastes include bentonite clay for providing fabric softening, glycerin as a mildness additive, and antimicrobial ingredients for increased germ kill activity. Table 5
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for the syndet bars. In situ neutralization of sulfonic acid with soda ash is carried out in an amalgamator, where all the formula ingredients are mixed. This mass is then sent through milling or refining equipment, followed by entry into the plodder or extruder where it is made into billets, cut to required size and either pressed into final shape or just stamped with a logo usually after some cooling and hardening. In the paste-making process (Fig. 10) for both laundry and dish products, all ingredients are blended in a heated crutcher and then the hot, pasty, semisolid mass is stored in a holding tank for filling into the final package. Trends Driving Laundry Bars Investigation of recent trends in laundry bars suggests that consumers around the world are becoming more educated and are raising their expectations of what they feel should be delivered by a detergent product. This is causing manufacturers to become more sensitive to consumer needs. There is an ever-present challenge of overall reduction of product cost while improving efficacy. For example, in Africa and India there is continued need to find low-cost fats and oils to offset increasing raw-material pricing. Detergent manufacturers are constantly looking at rawmaterial interchangeability with formula and manufacturing flexibility. One recent example in India is a combination laundry bar that has an increased amount of talc fillers up to 26%. In contrast, the trend in Latin America is more toward higher impact fragrances, fragrance variants and aesthetics. There is even a segment of laundry bars designed for fine fabrics and delicate clothes. Here, innovation has been introduced with a bar that combines tallow with syndet for improved efficacy. In Asia, the emphasis is on expanding benefits. Laundry bar products are combining excellent cleaning with care for the garments, with strong consideration being driven to color protection, softening, fabric conditioning, and soil release. In addition, an increasing number of products claim antibacterial and antiodor benefits. Dish Pastes Dishwashing products come in various forms: liquid, paste, powder, bar, and gels. In the developing markets, there is a moderate incidence of specialized products used for washing dishes. Although these specialized dish products offer improved performance and convenience, they are still too expensive for some consumers.
Fig. 8. Action of photobleaching agents. PBA = phthalocyanine sulfonate salt; source: Ciba-Geigy Corporation. TABLE 5 Typical Laundry Syndet Bar and Paste Formulations (wt%) Bar Surfactants Builders Anti-redeposition agents Optical brighteners Processing aids/fillers Colors and perfume Moisture Other ingredients 1035 1035 00.5 01 2060 02 515 015 Paste 1530 1035 00.3 00.2 520 02 2550 015
summarizes the range of ingredients typically found in syndet laundry bar and paste formulations. One point of difference, however, is that laundry pastes contain higher levels of moisture to provide the pasty consistency and economy of use. As shown, the amount of each ingredient varies quite a bit, mainly due to the varying washing habits and practices of consumers around the world. Processing of Laundry Bars and Pastes In addition to ingredients, the processing of laundry bars and pastes represents another aspect of technology. Both hard-soap bars and syndet bars utilize conventional soap bar making technology (Fig. 9) with a few modifications
Fig. 9. Typical laundry bar manufacturing.
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Fig. 10. Typical detergent paste manufacturing.
The liquid form is the predominant form for hand dishwashing products globally, making up 83% of the total tonage (Table 6). The United States and Europe account for twothirds of this volume with 1.2 MM tons. The liquid form also plays a leading role in the developing markets accounting for 58% of the tonnage or 570 M tons. The paste form is still an important part of the hand dishwashing segment in developing markets, accounting for almost 14% of the total tonnage compared to only 3% of the world tonnage. The reason the paste form still has a strong presence in the developing markets is that its form meets consumer dishwashing habits, delivers good cleaning performance, and is economical. Paste tonnage has grown at a faster rate than the total market in key paste countries. Paste has grown 207% since 1988 or at 13% compounded annual growth rate compared to the total market growth of 94% or 8% compounded annual growth rate for the same period. Again, the reason for this growth in key paste markets is that the form fits the consumer needs. Colombia is a good example where paste continues to prosper. In Colombia, paste has grown from 75% of the product mix in 1992 to 83% in 1997 at the expense of a dish bar. Not only did the mix increase but market tonnage increased 48% from 1992. In some countries, paste is in decline at the expense of liquids. In Malaysia, for example, paste constituted 37% of the total market tonnage in 1994, while at present it accounts for
TABLE 6 1997 Consumption of Hard-Dishwashing Products by Form Total world Developing world (21.1 mm tons) (928 m tons) Liquid 83 58 Powder 12 25 Paste 3 13 Bar 2 4
only 28% of the product mix as a result of the introduction of low-cost liquids. When economic conditions are favorable to make liquids affordable, consumers will trade up to liquids as they perceive liquids as being more modern and less irritating to hands. Dish pastes are sold predominately in small plastic tubs and sometimes in a plastic bag in a box. The predominant method of using dishwashing paste involves applying the product directly to the cleaning implement and then to the soiled dishes. In some countries the paste is dissolved in water to make a washing solution which is applied to the soiled dishes with the cleaning implement. Hence, product consistency varies for the different washing methods, harder for direct application and softer for dilute. The basic composition of dishwashing pastes consists of a surfactant, usually ABS; hydrate-forming salts to control product consistency, such as sodium carbonate and sodium sulfate; and a mild abrasive, such as calcium carbonate. Other minor ingredients are added for aesthetics, such as fragrance and color, and processing aids. The latest trend for dishwashing paste is represented by products claiming antibacterial benefits. This follows the tremendous growth of antibacterial products in the developed world. These products offer a range of benefits from removing, fighting and even killing germs on dishes and other kitchen surfaces. Dish bars have traditionally been rectangular-shaped. Round bars have recently emerged in Guatemala. This form more easily fits into consumer hands and can be easily placed into cups or dishes during use.
For the Future

The laundry-bar segment will continue to follow the same cleaning impact observed in the powder and liquid detergent market. In fact, many bars are linked by equity name and same positioning. With that, continuous improvement of cleaning
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and whitening will be offered while still giving importance to care, mildness, and aesthetics. Because of the continued price for performance expectations, there will be a growing opportunity for value segment, offering more for less. Detergent manufacturers will be challenged to deliver high cleaning performance, while keeping their product cost low and deliver to the consumer a high-quality laundry bar at affordable prices.
In summary, this paper has tried to point out how laundry bars and paste products are used, and how the needs of the consumers dictate which technologies are used to design products that provide performance and value to the consumers. Laundry bars and detergent pastes are widely used in many areas throughout the world and present an opportunity as well as a business challenge for the detergent manufacturers.
Laundry Detergents in the Americas: Change and Innovation as the Drivers for Growth
Richard S. Carpenter The Procter & Gamble Company, Ivorydale Technical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45217, USA
Introduction
Without a doubt, over the past decade, change and innovation have played a central role in the development of detergent products. Change, be it via market trends or in consumer habits, combined with a steady stream of major innovations that better meet consumer needs, has continually ensured the delivery of new and better products necessary for market growth. When the last surfactants conference met, the world of detergents was emerging from a period of no less than a revolution in product design, processing, and technology. The dominant subjects then were the growth of heavy-duty liquid detergents, the expansion of compacts, and the trend toward increasing multifunctionalitywith detergents based on more types of technologies. It was predicted then, in short, that the rest of the 1990s would likely produce more of the same. Over the next five years, ironically, this proved to be true in a more literal sense. For if the early 1990s were characterized as a revolution in detergents, then the past five years would be more aptly described as evolutionan evolution, in which the technologies initiated earlier in the decade were expanded and extended rather than replaced. From a technological perspective. one is tempted to characterize this time as somewhat unremarkable, even calm by comparison to the activity of the early 1990s. And, while markets grew, whether if by cause or by consequence, innovation lessened. Fewer significant new technologies were introduced in the market compared to what we had come to expect earlier in the decade. In this review of the status of the business today, this theme will recur continually.
1997, each of the major markets (which include Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Columbia, and Venezuela) was strong and growing sales by more than 7% (2). Nineteen ninetyeight is clearly going to be up and down, depending on how the economy continues to fare. While Latin America continues to swing through economic cycles, change and the potential for growth will continue to be reinforced by inevitable demographic changes and market trends. More women are entering the professional workforce in Latin America, estimated to be nearly 75% in major cities. This urbanization, in turn, is growing new retail distribution channels. Large supermarkets are sprouting up in Latin America and according to some estimates account for as much as 65% of total laundry dollar sales. These supermarkets in turn offer Latin American consumers more choices in meeting their changing needs with the convenience of buying higher quality products with more value-added features and benefits. The result is that a largely hand-wash region today has started to lean forward toward the growth of both automatic machine washing and increased use of premium detergent products.
Product Overview
Liquid Laundry Detergents One of the more significant outcomes of the past 5 years continues to be the growth of liquid laundry detergents. By 1993, the liquid market stood at about 36% (3). In the past five years, it has grown consistently to about 50% of the market. While a number of factors contribute to this growthconvenience vs. powders, for exampleit accelerated generally as heavy duty liquid (HDL) performance increased and the cost premium of liquids vs. powders declined in the United States (Fig. 1). Not so surprisingly, and in sharp contrast to the United States, HDL markets in Canada and Latin America remain small (Fig. 2), largely due to higher costs vs. powders. A question often asked is: Where will the powder/liquid market end up? The answer lies in looking broadly at product form more globally. Here one has to expect strong support for both formsincluding further development of powder and liquid technologies. While it is true that liquids have gained a considerable share in some regional markets, particularly in the past few years, powders still dominate product form globally and continue to have the advantage of generally being a more compatible matrix for delivering new technologies. Compaction Looking further over the past five years, compact detergents still represent one of the factors affecting laundry products. Here powders continued to evolve more than liquids.
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Market Overview
As a start, the key market, product, and technology activity in North America and Latin America will be reviewed briefly. By the end of 1997, the business in the United States had increased to about $4.3 billion. While this increase is encouraging, several underlying issues challenged the business over this time. Foremost has been a decisive shift in consumer mind set. Today consumers, maybe more than at any recent time, are increasingly value-conscious. They are ever reluctant to pay for product improvements unless they are not only better, but truly different and worth it. Moreover, pricing pressure which started earlier in the decade has continued to be an issue, averaging about a 13% decline over the past five years (1). In one sense, then, the business has actually done well in spite of these hurdles. In Latin America, until just recently, the laundry market was strong and growing. From 1992 to 1996 the regions gross domestic product rose by more than 50%. And in
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Fig. 1. Heavy duty liquid detergent cost per jobpremium vs. powders.
North American powders proceeded through two generations of compaction. The first, launched in the early 1990s, reduced product dosage by 50% and increased product densities from the then typical 300 g/L range to about 500 g/L. A second generation launched in 199596 reduced dosages more modestly, a further 20% or so, while increasing product densities to their current range of about 600700 g/L.
Interestingly, the introduction of compact powders did actually slow HDL growth in the early 1990s (Fig. 3). However, liquids, too, soon followed in compacting, and from this point on, HDL growth has continued unabated in the United States. As products changed over this time, so have the processes for their manufacture. Liquids could be compacted, largely through extensions of current process technology. Powders, on the other hand, required significant change and investment. New particle-making processes were developed to achieve the higher product densities required for todays compact products. These changes provided further benefits by extending dry laundry powder processing to include more heat-sensitive materials that could not stand conventional spray drying. To detergent scientists, these changes also added new design criteria, requiring future detergent technologies, not only for improved performance but also for greater space and weight efficiency. At this date, conversion to compacts has not progressed much since the momentum of the early 1990s and still varies by region. In the United States, both powder and liquid markets are largely converted. In contrast, compacts still represent only about half the market in Canada with, as yet, little or no conversion in Latin America. Thus, of the two major product strategies of the past five years, liquids have done well and continue to grow. Compaction has largely stalled in areas where a convincing consumer or trade benefit could not be communicated. In raw materials, two technologies have largely dominated product design newsenzymes and bleach.
Technology Overview
Enzymes In the preceding five years, enzyme technology has maintained itself as a dominant force in detergents. In 1997, for example, enzymes in detergents accounted for about 40% of the industrial enzyme market, U.S. detergents being the single largest market (Fig. 4). From a technical perspective, the benefits made possible by major advances in protein engineering over the past
Fig. 2. Liquid detergent regional market share: Canada, United States, and Latin America.
Laundry in the Americas: Status and Future
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Fig. 3. Powder/liquid share growth.
decade have now provided formulators with the capability of literally choosing any of Natures basic hydrolytic enzymes in formulating laundry detergents. This includes not only proteases for the removal of protein stains (such as grass or blood), but amylase for starchy food soils, lipase for removing food grease/oil, and the newest enzyme class of materials to be addedcellulases. Fabric AppearanceCellulase Enzyme Technology In fact, cellulases have received the primary share of market attention over the past five years as the technology was broadly expanded across the region. This enzyme was first commercialized by Novo Nordisk (Bagsvaerd, Denmark) in
the 1990s as a proprietary, monocomponent cellulase, called Carezyme. In detergent formulations, this enzyme delivered a major discontinuity beyond cleaning, literally extending the useful life of cotton fabrics. The enzyme works by selectively hydrolyzing damaged microfibrils on worn cotton garment surfaces and facilitating their removal through normal abrasion which occurs during the typical washing and drying process (Figs. 5,6). This technology was most significant because it fundamentally changed consumer expectations of future laundry product performance, and its success helped spark interest again in new enzyme. Over the past five years, the industry
Fig. 4. Global enzyme market sales: $1.1 billion.
Fig. 5. Damanged microfibrils.
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how the enzymes oxidation state is increased via reaction with peroxide, shown in the upper right, which in turn catalyzes oxidation of mediator molecules in one of several steps leading to oxidation of the substrate. This chemistry turns out to be some of the most sophisticated yet developed for detergents. And, while cost has been the main limiter for broad commercial application in laundry products, the technology continues to receive a great deal of interest. Growth and Expansion of Detergent with Activated Bleach Turning to the world of bleaches, hydrophobic bleach technology in detergent with built-in bleaches continued to be a major success story over the past five years, and a direct outcome of the earlier trend toward increased multifunctionality. By 1993, this segment commanded about an 11% share of the North American market. Today, five years later, it stands at about 30% and growing. Globally, powders dominate the segment using technology that is still delivered by one of two approaches: peroxide-only with perborate/percarbonate, or activated peroxyacids and peroxides based on oxygen bleach activators. As has been documented repeatedly, with the advent of cooler wash temperatures and shorter wash times (particularly in North and South America), hydrophobic activator systems, such as NOBS (Nonanoyl Oxybenzene Sulfonate), combined with either perborate or percarbonate as a peroxide source, proved to be most effective. Generated in situ during the wash, these systems transform simple peroxide into a much more effective hydrophobic oxygen bleach, forming a peroxyacid, and a secondary oxidant, diacyl peroxide (Fig. 8). This dual-action system has delivered both effective whitening and broad stain removal along with excellent fabric and color safety. Challenges in Future Bleach Development Designing better performance chemistry into one molecule while maintaining fabric and color safety, and minimizing cost, has proven to be a significant technical challenge. This challenge is further exemplified if one looks at the absence of bleach technology in HDLs, that is, the absence of the counterpart to powder detergent with bleach. In the early 1990s, responding to the success of powder-with-bleach products and in the absence of available technology, HDL first introduced products with bleach alternative technology. These HDL largely derived their bleach-like benefits from the presence of higher levels of materials such as surfactant, enzymes, and brighteners. Patenting activity has continued on the development of true bleach chemistry. Over the past two to three years, as many as 30% of patent applications in liquids are related to bleach development of one sort or another. Full formula HDL work has been reported using both aqueous and nonaqueous approaches, with aqueous systems appearing to be potentially a more cost-effective route. Several systems were described: those that include peroxide-only, activator technologyanalogous to NOBS and TAED (Tetra Acetyl Ethylene Diamine) in powdersand the use of preformed peracids. Of the three routes, peracids seem to be one of the more novel and innovative approaches. Having said this, the liter-
Fig. 6. Cellulose-treated fibers.
clearly stepped up its research activities. From 19851995, more than 500 patent applications were published on enzymes for laundry products. The bulk of these was still related to proteases, the most widespread but also the first enzyme in commercial use. Activity on new enzymes accounted for only 7% of the total. In just the past 2 years, however, more than 300 patent applications were published with the percentage dealing with new enzymes almost triple the number from the previous decade. Roughly half of these applications describe either enzyme bleaching systems or the use of oxidoreductases in cleaning applications focused on better low-temperature cleaning, associated color benefits such as dye-transfer inhibition, or new benefits, such as sanitation. From a commercial perspective, enzymes such as oxidoreductases represent the kind of new core capability we need to establish to keep the industry competitive and growing beyond the stable of current materials. While these enzymes are complex relative to their hydrolytic counterparts, often containing metalo-heme groups, they demonstrate new and unique oxidation chemistry with the potential for a variety of detergent applications. In the patent literature, some of the general systems described are oxidase enzymes, like glucose oxidase, which is able to generate peroxide in situ; perhydrolysis systems using a hydrolase enzyme, such as a protease of lipase, combined with a precursor to form peracids in situ; and peroxidases. Of the three, peroxidases offer one of the best views of this new catalytic chemistry since they have received both commercial and patent attention, with applications in oxidizing fugitive dyes during the wash, stain removal, and sanitization. Generally, these enzymes require a multicomponent system to complete their oxidation cycle. This system typically encompasses the enzyme, a mediator or cofactor, and hydrogen peroxide as the initial source of oxidant. Here in Figure 7, the overall reaction is summarized, basically showing
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Fig. 7. Peroxidase mechanism pathway.
Fig. 8. NOBS perhydrolysis chemistry.
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ature shows that formulating preformed peracids into HDLs carries with it a number of challenges still to be worked out. Over the past 10 years, three materials in particular have received a lot of attention, (Fig. 9) the diperacid, DPDA (Diperoxy Dodecanediol Acid), PAP (Phthaloyl Amino Peroxocaproic Acid), and the imido diperacid, TPCAP (Terephthaloyl Diamino Percarboxy Caproic Acid) (4). Each of these approaches was described in the literature offering different advantages, but the general trend has been to decrease the solubility of the peracid in order to improve its stability and matrix compatibility in the product, with the expectation that the peracid becomes fully solubilized once added to the wash. Formulators face different challenges depending on which peracid approach is used. The technical problems encountered with more soluble peracids, such as with DPDA, include the need for improving stability by minimizing hydrolysis, minimizing oxidation of other formula components like perfumes or enzymes and, in addition, protecting against decomposition (such as from heavy metals) which can release oxygen and require package venting. In approaches with a less-soluble peracid, like TPCAP, one minimizes in-product reactivity, but then faces other hurdles, such as stabilizing insoluble peracid particles in the formula, optimizing its aesthetics in the product, and minimizing peracid solubilization by surfactant which then simply recreates the issues noted above in dealing with more soluble peracids. In either case, the overall strategy here has been to choose bleach materials and product components that help stabilize peracid activity in the formula and then still facilitate bleaching and cleaning when added to the washreinforcing further just how difficult it has become to develop a next-generation bleach system for detergents. The reason for focusing on enzyme and bleach technologies, beyond giving credit to their business-building contributions over the past five or so years, is that like many of the materials which are candidates for improvement, they face
the question of Where do we go from here? It may well be that many technologies in use today are at a crossroad, a notion which is supported by todays high level of inventive activity, but with a lower rate of innovation.
Future Market and Consumer Trends

Converging on a Common Wash Process So what does the path forward look like over the next 510 years? Well, predicting the future in the laundry business has always proven risky, but if we consider the reticence of the past few years an indication of the future, then it is doubtful that our predictions will be more accurate than they were five years ago. All consumer needs today are still far from being met, and, along with the market, are changing again. In many ways, the answer to this question is that the future is already happening, but more inventive effort should be focused more closely at todays market and consumer trends. One of the more exciting elements about the next 510 years is the potential to move toward a common wash process, certainly regionallypossibly globally, based on cooler wash temperatures and concentrated washing through the expected growth of low-water, high-efficiency washing machines. The Continued Trend to Cooler Wash Temperatures While the trend to cooler wash temperatures is certainly not new, its momentum is reaching a point where change is now necessary to improve laundry product performance. The United States, for example, has been on a slow but a steady trend toward cooler wash temperatures for some time. As wash temperatures continue to decrease over the next 510 years products simply have to change to improve in areas like cold-water cleaning and critical physical properties, such as dissolution and solubility, to stay competitive. These changes will by design necessitate changes in raw materials
Fig. 9. Pre-formed peracids.
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Fig. 10. Cooler wash trendpercentage of washloads in hot water.
and will likely affect technologies like enzymes, bleach, and surfactants most strongly. As Figure 10 shows, since 1975 the percentage of washloads done in hot water has already declined significantly, and is projected to decline by almost 50% by the year 2000. The interesting part is that the shift is going exclusively to cold water, which in the United States averages about 18C/64F. The percentage of loads washed in warm water (~31C/88F) has stayed fairly constant at about 50% over the years (5). However, this too is changing. Propelled by changes in appliance wash cycles, warm-water temperature will trend down as well, as the percentage of cold water blended into warm-water wash cycles has been increased from 50 to 60% in many machines. From a technological perspective, the net of this is to see cold-water washing less as a trend, and more as a global norm. Europes norm for wash temperatures, for example, is already about 40C, and Latin America/Asia have largely been cold-
water wash geographies. With the world converging on cooler water washing and formulators looking to standardize products more globally, cold-water performance will be a basic product design strategy for future product platforms. Concentrated WashingThe Introduction of High Efficiency Washing Machines The second element in this convergence is that washing conditions will become more concentrated. Washing machines in North America, which have not significantly changed in process for over the past 40+ years are changing now, and in ways that will most affect our industryby altering material choices. The introduction of high-efficiency washing machines in North America will increase wash concentrations three to five times over what they are today, using less water and bringing North America in line with European wash con-
Fig. 11. Wash comparisons.
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centrations (Fig. 11). While originally developed in response to government changes for new energy regulations, these regulations have so far been pushed out until around 2002. However, in the absence of mandating regulations, the appliance industry has proceeded with new machine introductions because water utilization remains a growing issue and, as the industry is discovering, the increased cleaning performance and fabric care benefits from these machines can generate high consumer appeal in their own right. Frigidaire introduced its new Gallery H-axis machines in 1995. Maytag soon followed with their new H-axis Neptune machine in 1997. Maytag, for example, is generating significant consumer response even with their machines priced at almost three times current U.S. machines representing as much as 20% of new washer sales in some markets. It is not yet clear which principal design features for these machines will be dominant long-term. Market and patent information show effort on both H-axis and V-axis machines. For detergents, the important issue is the focus on concentration. How will a cooler water, concentrated wash process likely affect product design (5)? Product concentrations will certainly look more like those in Europe, but as new machines are staying with shorter wash times and lower wash temperatures, wash cycles could look more like those in North America today. Technologies will get a boost from concentration but still face kinetic issues. It is also not clear yet whether any of these machines will offer consumers heater control of wash temperatures, a common feature on many European machines. Another change, expect load sizes to increase as well, as these machines offer consumers larger capacity without agitators. Not unexpectedly, new detergent formulas will need to be lower sudsing (due to increased product concentration), with improved dispersion rates (due to the lower water volume) and particularly for powderswith better solubility. There has been a lot of discussion around dosage, but just as in Europe, dosages are not expected to change much. Most detergent technology is designed to work as a function of soil and fabric levels at the surface, not in solution. With respect to individual technologies, consider that initial price of entry will likely not require whole new chemistries, but achieving acceptable performance will demand changes in the type and level for many of the kinds of materials used currentlywith opportunity and momentum to develop new, different, and more globally standardized chemistry. As in Europe, significant increases in the level of suds suppressor can be anticipated and, not unexpectedly, the search will be needed for lower foaming surfactants that work better in cold water. One of the more significant pieces of news is that builders will finally build under North American wash conditions. Reducing water levels by three to five times will give most premium products today the opportunity to go from underbuilt to built for most wash conditions. These conditions could also reopen the long forgotten opportunity to consider new soluble builder chemistry. Expect significant opportunities in the polymer area. A fivefold increase in the effective concentration of polymer levels in North American wash conditions will have a profound effect on improving polymer performance, whether it
is dispersion, soil release, or dye-transfer inhibition. Enzymes and bleaches face an interesting mix of issues. On one hand, concentrated washing offers the opportunity for significant increases in the performance of both, but colder water temperatures and short wash cycles will still challenge performance rates, especially should these remain the standard in new machines. An anecdotal consideration on wash temperatures is also worth noting, as the focus of temperature has typically been on water. In low-water machines without heating options, future wash temperatures are likely to be as affected by the thermal impact of clothes weight. While this is something not considered much today, the effect can swing average wash temperatures by five or more degrees. Although the market for these machines is still small, representing about 2% of the U.S. market, it is growing and its potential to impact the industry, along with its high consumer appeal, have already convinced companies like Procter & Gamble and Unilever to introduce new products specially formulated for the high efficiency, low-water machines, which have been in the market for over a year. Summary: Innovating to Meet Future Needs As with technology, this example served primarily to illustrate a point that the industry has come through a period of transition in detergents, particularly in North America and is now at the beginning of seeing change once again in markets and with consumers. Further, while consumers are more demanding than ever before, basic consumer needs in laundry are fundamentally the same, and the number one unmet need today is still for improved cleaning. With all this, there seems to be little reason that our pace of innovation should slow down. At the same time, it is ironic as well to note that in 1998 patent activity in detergents was at an all-time highup almost 40% since 1991 (Fig. 12), with patent activity on key technologies, such as surfactants, enzymes, and bleach also increasing over the past four years (Fig. 13). There is no doubt that today, market and technical challenges significantly raise the bar to delivering real innovation, but these hurdles should not be driving us to incrementalism. New ideas are needed, but these ideas need to not only be better, but now fundamentally different and worthwhile in order to have any appeal with todays more skeptical and time-hurried consumers. In summary, over the past five years, the industry has very successfully built the regional business by expanding on the product strategies and technologies introduced earlier in the decade. As a result, the business has grown, but it is time we move on technologically to the challenges of the next decade and reestablish the ability to innovate as well as invent. It is very clear that without the sustained pace of innovation, historically established, future growth opportunities will be lost, and eventually consumers will lose confidence in product value and differentiation in the market. Most important, there would be a real risk of seeing the industry become increasingly commodity-based. However, in the view of an optimist who sees the glass as half full, these challenges are certain to be met. It is likely that the Fifth World Conference will report the industry has sensed that its markets and consumers have changed, has taken the lead in converging on a new wash process which provides for better water and energy
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Fig. 12. Patent index summary: detergent industry patents; 1,762 publications in 1990. *, 40% increase in publications vs. 1991.
Fig. 13. Patent index summary.
management and that once again innovation is driving its growth.
3 4 5
References
1. 2. Source: Information Resources, Inc., Chicago, Illinois. Sussman, J., Latin American Laundry Care, HAPPI 5: 49-52 (1998).
Source: Information Resources, Inc., Chicago Illinois. Knowlton, C.N., Coope, J., Kuzmenka, D., and Naser, M.S. U. S. Patent 5,712,239 (1998). SDA Publication: Detergents and Laundry Additives: High Efficiency Washers, The Soap and Detergent Association, New York, 1996, pp. 112.

Technology Trends in Laundry Products

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Technology Trends in Laundry Products: Far East/Asian Countries

Powder 535 176 115 1624 155 60 11 173 60 3 1 85 2998

Liquid 52 5 14 293 9 40 3 2 0 0 0 0 418

Others 22 38 13 513 1 10 1 341 175 50 2 60 1226

Detergents in Far East/Asian Countries

Fig. 1. Detergent market growth in Far East countries. Source: Ciba.

Consumer Demands in Japan and Southeast Asian Countries

The Detergent Market in Southeast Asia

Copyright 1999 AOCS Press