Ashland’s Specialty Ingredients division has entered into a purchasing agreement with AkzoNobel to acquire its Zeta Fraction technology for an undisclosed sum. The deal is expected to complete this financial quarter.

The patented Zeta Fraction process is expected to broaden Ashland’s value added portfolio in the personal care, pharmaceutical, food and beverage and agriculture markets, allowing the company to isolate efficacious components from living plants and marine sources without recourse to external solvents. The technology will allow the company to cement its position in the natural-based specialty ingredients market.

“As global consumers increasingly ask for more sophisticated personal care products, Ashland is bringing enterprise solutions to finished product manufacturers for implementation across their product platforms,” said James Mish, Group Vice President, Consumer Specialties, Ashland Specialty Ingredients. “This unique, naturally based technology is a catalyst to expand Ashland’s comprehensive expertise in biofunctionals gained from our Vincience(TM) technology and our core competency in bioavailability.

“A major challenge in many consumer markets is bioavailability,” Mish continued. “Making actives or substances more available in a formulated product is essential to a superior consumer experience. Ashland’s objective is to work with innovative manufacturers of consumer care products at the early stages of product development, and to deliver bioavailability solutions that lead to better market opportunities for customers. This also applies to the pharmaceutical, nutrition, and agricultural market segments.”