About Us

Laser Focus World is an industry bedrock—first published in 1965 and still going strong. We publish original articles about cutting-edge advances in lasers, optics, photonics, sensors, and quantum technologies, as well as test and measurement, and the shift currently underway to usher in the photonic integrated circuits, optical interconnects, and copackaged electronics and photonics to deliver the speed and efficiency essential for data centers of the future.

Our 80,000 qualified print subscribers—and 130,000 12-month engaged online audience—trust us to dive in and provide original journalism you won’t find elsewhere covering key emerging areas such as laser-driven inertial confinement fusion, lasers in space, integrated photonics, chipscale lasers, LiDAR, metasurfaces, high-energy laser weaponry, photonic crystals, and quantum computing/sensors/communications. We cover the innovations driving these markets.

Laser Focus World is part of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

Laser Focus World Membership

Never miss any articles, videos, podcasts, or webinars by signing up for membership access to Laser Focus World online. You can manage your preferences all in one place—and provide our editorial team with your valued feedback.

Magazine Subscription

Can you subscribe to receive our print issue for free? Yes, you sure can!

Newsletter Subscription

A Laser Focus World newsletter subscription is free to qualified professionals:

The Daily Beam

Showcases the newest content from Laser Focus World, including photonics- and optics-based applications, components, research, and trends. (Daily)

Product Watch

The latest in products within the photonics industry. (9x per year)

Bio & Life Sciences Product Watch

The latest in products within the biophotonics industry. (4x per year)

Laser Processing Product Watch

The latest in products within the laser processing industry. (3x per year)

Get Published!

If you’d like to write an article for us, reach out with a short pitch to Sally Cole Johnson: [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

Photonics Hot List

Laser Focus World produces a video newscast that gives a peek into what’s happening in the world of photonics.

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast dives deep into the fascinating world of photonics. Our weekly episodes feature interviews and discussions with industry and research experts, providing valuable perspectives on the issues, technologies, and trends shaping the photonics community.

Social Media

Bluesky • Facebook • Instagram • LinkedIn • YouTube

Meet the Laser Focus World Team

Editorial

Sales

Editorial Advisory Board

  • Professor Andrea M. Armani, University of Southern California
  • Ruti Ben-Shlomi, Ph.D., LightSolver
  • James Butler, Ph.D., Hamamatsu
  • Natalie Fardian-Melamed, Ph.D., Columbia University
  • Justin Sigley, Ph.D., AmeriCOM
  • Professor Birgit Stiller, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, and Leibniz University of Hannover
  • Professor Stephen Sweeney, University of Glasgow
  • Mohan Wang, Ph.D., University of Oxford
  • Professor Xuchen Wang, Harbin Engineering University
  • Professor Stefan Witte, Delft University of Technology
My Watchlist
Indicators
Industrial Laser Index
Markets
Stocks
ETFs
Tools
Markets:
Overview
News
Currencies
International
Treasuries

Holiferm and Sasol Chemicals Expand Collaboration to Develop and Market Sustainable Surfactants

By: via Business Wire

Partnership will expand product portfolio to include two additional fermentation-based biosurfactants

Holiferm Limited and Sasol Chemicals, a business unit of Sasol Ltd. (JSE: SOL; NYSE: SSL), announced today a collaboration to produce and market rhamnolipids and mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs). This collaboration expands the partnership announced in March 2022 between the two companies to develop and commercialise another biosurfactant product, sophorolipids.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230125005034/en/

The partnership will use Holiferm’s proprietary technology to develop the fermentation-derived biosurfactants. Sasol and Holiferm will develop and commercialise formulations and applications for the new molecules.

Biosurfactants use natural materials to produce surfactants, which are key ingredients in detergents, cleaning products and personal care products. Sophorolipids, rhamnolipids and MELs are all glycolipids made through fermentation, using yeast or bacteria to convert vegetable oils and/or sugars into final product. The Holiferm process offers an extensive reduction in carbon footprint compared with conventional surfactants.

“The imminent commercial launch of our second and third products validates Holiferm’s process to develop process technologies to produce chemicals from natural raw materials and enable their broad commercialisation,” said Vicky De Groof, Chief Technical Officer of Holiferm. “It is also a testament to the exceptional work of the laboratory team.”

“By expanding our product portfolio from sophorolipids to include rhamnolipids and MELs, we aim to provide our customers a platform of solutions based solely on biosurfactants,” said Silke Hoppe, Vice President of Essential Care Chemicals for Sasol Chemicals. “Their carbon footprint as well as their mildness and high performance places these products in a leading position in today’s biosurfactant market.”

Since March 2022, Sasol and Holiferm have collaborated on research and development into accelerating innovation to help meet the growing demand for sustainable solutions in primary surfactants. This has now been expanded to include developing processes to manufacture rhamnolipids and MELs. The companies’ joint aspiration is to prepare for testing at pilot plant scale, before they begin a full manufacturing process at Holiferm’s Wallasey plant.

About Holiferm Limited

Holiferm Limited is based in the North West of the United Kingdom with sites in Manchester, Daresbury and Wallasey. It was founded on the back of patented fermentation with integrated gravity separation technology developed at the University of Manchester. As a company we aim to disrupt the market and replace petrochemicals with our naturally produced biochemicals. Our first solution, biosurfactants have applications in many cleaning products including cosmetics, skin care, shower gels and surface cleansers.

About Sasol Chemicals

Sasol Chemicals is a solutions provider focused on sustainability, circularity and specialties. It fulfills its purpose of “Innovating for a better world” by offering a broad, state-of-the-art portfolio of specialty and commodity chemicals for a wide range of applications and industries.

Our solutions are used by more than 6,500 customers, in 118 countries, in countless products that improve the quality of life for people around the world. They also provide the building blocks for a sustainable future by helping reduce energy usage, waste and packaging, and by providing solutions to the renewable energy industry.

Sasol Chemicals is a business of Sasol Limited, a leading chemicals and energy company focused on creating sustainable value for our stakeholders. For more information, visit the Sasol Chemicals website.

Contacts

More News

View More
SoundHound Breaks Critical Resistance: How High Can It Get Now?
Via MarketBeat
Topics Artificial Intelligence
Tickers SOUN
Klarna IPO: BNPL Stock or Something Bigger?
Via MarketBeat
Topics Artificial Intelligence Initial Public Offering
Tickers AFRM KLAR
Why Teradyne Is a Core Play in the AI Hardware Boom
Via MarketBeat
Topics Artificial Intelligence Economy
Tickers TER
Meta Debuts Next-Gen AI Glasses—A Turning Point for Reality Labs?
Via MarketBeat
Topics Artificial Intelligence
Tickers AAPL META
How IREN is Building an AI Powerhouse on a Bitcoin Foundation
Via MarketBeat
Topics Artificial Intelligence Supply Chain
Tickers IREN NVDA
Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.