WACKER and biotechnology pioneer Amyris join forces in the personal care sector

• The aim of the cooperation is the development of bio-based functional raw materials for cosmetics and personal care products.
  
  
• WACKER is thus expanding its silicon portfolio to include bio-based raw materials.
  
  
• Another focus of the collaboration is the evaluation of novel functional raw materials.
  
  
• The companies bring many years of expertise in biomanufacturing and silicon chemistry to the partnership.
  
  

WACKER and the US biotechnology company Amyris are joining forces. As announced at the in-cosmetics trade fair in Paris, which begins today, both companies will be collaborating more closely on the development of bio-based functional substances for the personal care sector. The aim is to systematically evaluate the potential of bio-based substances and basic chemicals for innovative personal care applications, as well as new development approaches, and to advance these in a structured process.

WACKER and Amyris have a long-standing partnership in the field of biotechnology. As a leading biotech company, Amyris possesses more than 20 years of expertise in biological chemistry. WACKER, in turn, as a leading manufacturer of silicone specialties and biotech products, has extensive experience in the formulation of silicone-based ingredients and in the fermentation of cyclodextrin and cysteine ​​products for the personal care and life science sectors.

The increased collaboration between the two companies reflects current trends in the personal care and consumer goods sectors. According to recent studies, the market for bio-based cosmetics will grow more strongly in the future than for conventional, purely chemically produced products.

WACKER has already responded to this development with the introduction of a new product series. Under the brand name BELNEXT®, ^the company will present, for the first time at in-cosmetics in Paris, products based exclusively on renewable raw materials. “This allows us to offer manufacturers and formulators of personal care products a wide range of ingredients, from proven silicon-based solutions to plant-based products that offer similar properties but are completely bio-based,” says Ian Moore, Head of Consumer & Healthcare at WACKER.

Furthermore, WACKER has partnered with a pioneer in the field of renewable biochemistry. The California-based biotech company Amyris uses genetically engineered microorganisms to transform highly available renewable raw materials into high-performance molecules. This enables the industrial development and utilization of rare natural substances. Amyris’ products, manufactured using precision fermentation, are already used in a wide variety of consumer markets, such as in flavors and fragrances, beauty and personal care products, and as specialty chemicals for industrial applications.

The improved availability and scalable production of biochemically manufactured products is also of interest to WACKER. The focus is on bio-based molecules, whose functional potential is unlocked at WACKER through targeted further processing and formulation. “We are currently investigating whether we can specifically expand and complement our Personal Care portfolio with certain raw materials from Amyris,” says Personal Care expert Ian Moore.

The chemical company is also examining the extent to which selected bio-based raw materials from Amyris can be integrated into existing production structures in the future. “The development of market-ready solutions and the formulation and application compatibility of such products for the customer are significantly influenced by WACKER’s development, formulation, and production expertise,” the manager emphasizes.

For Amyris, WACKER’s comprehensive market knowledge and global sales and service structures are particularly valuable. “WACKER is a leading developer of functional ingredients for the cosmetics and personal care industries. The company operates technical application and testing centers worldwide and therefore understands customer expectations for such products,” emphasizes Lisa Roessle, Head of Marketing and Sales at Amyris.

Through this intensified cooperation, both companies can significantly accelerate the development of new bio-based ingredients for personal care products. WACKER contributes its comprehensive formulation and application expertise, while Amyris brings its know-how in biotechnology and biomanufacturing. “Combining these strengths creates synergies and a strong foundation for developing innovative, high-performance, and resource-efficient solutions,” says Roessler. “By combining WACKER’s profound formulation and application technology expertise with Amyris’s biochemistry competence, a unique partnership is being created that is capable of scaling innovations in renewable biochemistry into highly effective cosmetic active ingredients.”

As a globally active company with highly developed specialty chemical and biotechnological products, WACKER contributes to meeting the challenges of our time – from the energy transition and digitalization to providing healthcare for a growing world population. WACKER products are found in countless aspects of daily life. The portfolio comprises more than 3,000 products, which are supplied to over 100 countries. The range of applications extends from tile adhesive to computer chips. The most important customer industries are the automotive, construction, chemical, semiconductor, consumer goods and personal care, medical technology, pharmaceutical, and photovoltaic industries. WACKER was founded in 1914 and is headquartered in Munich. The Group currently operates 27 production sites worldwide. In 2025, WACKER generated sales of around €5.5 billion and employed more than 16,000 people.

Amyris is a biotechnology company that produces highly specialized molecules for a wide range of industries, including flavors and fragrances, high-performance materials, beauty and personal care products, food, and more. The company utilizes advanced fermentation technologies to design, develop, and produce customized ingredients that contribute to improved quality of life, help protect ecosystems, and significantly enhance the properties of end products. Amyris was founded in 2003 with the vision of using biotechnology to improve the availability of life-saving malaria medications. After two decades of commercial success, Amyris has redefined the precision, consistency, and sustainability of renewable biochemistry with its proprietary technology platform. The company operates fermentation facilities in Barra Bonita and Campinas, Brazil, and a cosmetic ingredient refinement facility in Leland, North Carolina, USA.