Jan 31 2007
Global specialty chemicals supplier Cognis has recognized the outstanding contributions made by three development teams by giving them its Innovation Award 2006. This internal competition aims to reward the development of performance-oriented and environmentally sound solutions which have proven successful in the marketplace. The Gold Award was given to a group responsible for developing Skintex®, the encapsulation technology for incorporating active ingredients into textiles. The team which formulated a new high-performance synthetic lubricant, meeting the latest specifications of major transmission manufacturer Eaton, won the Silver Award. The Bronze Award went to the employees who created Myoxinol®, a highly effective natural alternative to botulinum toxin injections.
First held in 2001, the aim of the annual Cognis Innovation Award is to encourage creativity and original thinking among Cognis employees. The award is open to all employees who contribute to innovative solutions for new products, processes, marketing approaches or other improvements. Entries are judged on the degree of innovation and their success in the markets, as well as the potential competitive benefits for Cognis’ customers. Another criterion is how well they correspond with Cognis’ strategy of developing sustainable, environmentally sound solutions. This year, 15 entries were received and evaluated by a panel of experts and members of the Cognis Management Board.
“It is the creativity and inquiring minds of our staff which ensure that our company continues to move forward,” comments Cognis CEO Antonio Trius. “We have recognized the most impressive ideas by presenting them with awards, but ultimately it is Cognis and our customers who are the real winners – because these ideas result in innovative solutions for ready-to-market end products and complete marketing concepts.”
Gold Award: Skintex – incorporating active ingredients into textiles
The Gold Award 2006 was given to the team which developed Skintex, an encapsulation technology enabling textile manufacturers to give their garments lasting benefits which consumers can really feel. The system involves the use of microcapsules containing naturally-derived active ingredients. These are slowly released over a period of time when the body rubs against the treated fabric, and thereby care, refresh, or moisturize the skin. The first Skintex products were launched in 2004, and since then they have been incorporated into jeans, pants, panties and
T-shirts by many respected manufacturers.
Silver Award: Emgard – high-performance synthetic transmission lubricants
Commercial vehicles today have more horsepower and torque, weigh more, and carry heavier loads than ever before. As a result, lubricants need to protect the transmission better, ensure superior performance in all weather conditions, and extend maintenance intervals. Working closely with its customer Eaton, Cognis’ Synlubes team developed a new manual transmission fluid for commercial trucks, which has resulted in improved fuel economy and performance. The synthetic lubricant is the first of its kind to meet the latest specification of major transmission manufacturer Eaton, and has enabled the company to offer its customers a five-year/750,000-mile warranty.
Bronze Award: Myoxinol – a natural and effective alternative to botulinum toxin
Age is not the only reason why expression lines around the eyes appear. Every day, facial skin is stressed by blinking, frowning and laughing. Myoxinol inhibits the contraction of the muscle cells, thereby preventing the appearance of expression lines around the eyes. This peptide complex extracted from the seeds of the hibiscus plant is a natural, vegetal safe and highly effective alternative to drastic anti-aging procedures such as botulinum toxin injections. It was launched in 2004, and is now used by respected cosmetic product manufacturers around the world.