Photo credit: Stef Maruch

The Algraal Project, which aims at developing a new algal-based source of fatty alcohols and emulsifiers for the cosmetics industry, was officially launched a few days ago.

This three-year project brings together four industrial partners, Seppic, the subsidiary of the Air Liquide Group specialised in both excipients and active substances for the cosmetics industry, as project leader, and Fermentalg, La Mesta, and Vegeplast, as well as three partners from the public sector, the University of Le Havre, INP/ENSIACET and INRA.

Algraal enjoys the support from the AGRIMIP, TRIMATEC, PASS and Cosmetic Valley competitiveness clusters and will benefit from grants of 1.5 million euros from the FUI [1] and from local and regional public authorities. It is also supported by cosmetics makers such as Clarins and Yves Rocher.

Creating and developing a green and sustainable raw material for the manufacture of fatty alcohols and emulsifiers represents a major challenge that responds to new expectations among market participants and consumers,” highlights Seppic.

Seppic is committed to innovation on a daily basis as part of its sustainable development policy, and has made it a priority in its R&D projects. Focusing on Green Chemistry and plant-based chemistry, Seppic’s Research and Development function employs 15% of our staff and represents an investment of 4% of our revenues. Seppic files between 10 and 15 patent applications every year and has a portfolio of over 140 families of patents. Project Algraal is a perfect illustration of our commitment,” adds Sandra Manceau, R&D Project Leader for the French company.

In 2013, Seppic had acquired BiotechMarine, a company that specialised in the design and marketing of bio-based, cosmetic active ingredients made from algae.