dsm-firmenich has inaugurated two production plants in Castets, southwestern France, for the production of perfumery ingredients. The first facility is a multipurpose unit for the production of pine-based ingredients, and the second brand-new plant is dedicated to the production of the biodegradable musk Habanolide®. These expansions address the fast-growing demand for sustainable products.

“In addition to helping us provide extra production capacity for perfumery in Europe, these expansion projects further strengthen our strategic position and allow us to seize growth opportunities that lie ahead. These two additional plants also make a significant contribution to our Sustainability ambitions by lowering the carbon footprint of our logistics operations in the region, while helping our customers deliver on their own sustainability goals,” said Emmanuel Butstraen, President Perfumery & Beauty at dsm-firmenich.

The new multipurpose facility is an additional production unit designed to secure the supply of a variety of finished products and intermediates for the perfume markets. It increases the production capacity for bio-sourced renewable ingredients coming from pine on the site.

The new Habanolide facility comes in addition to the existing production line in New Jersey, US, to significantly boost the production capacity of this perfume ingredient. Known for being an elegant macrocyclic musk with a warm and slightly woody note, Habanolide is ranked among dsm-firmenich’s best-selling ingredients.

The bio-sourced ingredients plant received a EUR 2.8 million subsidy from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region to boost companies’ industrial performance and energy efficiency. The Habanolide® expansion project has benefited from a EUR 1.0 million grant, as part of the national recovery plan implemented by the French government and the Nouvelle Aquitaine region, to accelerate industrial investments in France.