Building on an established collaboration in Brazil, Safic-Alcan and Primient extend their relationship to a
new territory — bringing 100% bio-based ZEMEA® propanediol to formulators across the DACH region
and Central and Eastern Europe.
Paris-La Defense, July 29, 2026 – Safic-Alcan, a leading global specialty chemicals distributor, and Primient, the world’s largest producer of 100% bio-based 1,3-propanediol, have signed a distribution agreement for the ZEMEA® propanediol range across Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia and Slovenia. The agreement began in June 2026.
Under the agreement, Safic-Alcan becomes the regional distributor for ZEMEA® propanediol, serving
cosmetics and personal care formulators. The partnership pairs Primient’s bio-based ingredient platform
with Safic-Alcan’s local technical and commercial network across 10 European markets, giving regional
customers direct access to formulation support, regulatory documentation and supply.
ZEMEA® propanediol is a 100% bio-based, plant-derived alternative to petroleum-derived glycols such
as propylene glycol and butylene glycol. Produced from regeneratively grown industrial dent corn in the
Midwestern United States, it is a multifunctional ingredient that functions as a humectant, emollient, preservative booster, solvent, viscosity enhancer, and carrier for active ingredients and botanical extracts.
It is certified 100% biobased under the USDA BioPreferred® Program, recognized by the Natural Products
Association, and meets the ISO 16128 criteria for a derived organic ingredient. Compared with propylene glycol, ZEMEA® propanediol can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 86%, based on life cycle assessment.
The agreement responds to a clear market signal: demand for bio-based, traceable, and lowercarbon
ingredients is accelerating across European personal care, driven by clean-beauty positioning, brand owner sustainability commitments, and tightening expectations on ingredient transparency. Backed by full life-cycle data and microbiome-friendly certification, ZEMEA® propanediol gives formulators a documented route to replace petroleum-based glycols without compromising sensory performance.
About Safic-Alcan
Safic-Alcan is a leading specialty chemicals distributor, operating across more than 70 countries through 44 offices worldwide, with a turnover of €1,018 million in 2025 and more than 1,000 employees. The group distributes highly technical products used in specific applications across Rubber, Plastics, Coatings, Adhesives, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics, and Nutrition. Safic-Alcan is committed to providing expert technical support and sustainable specialty chemical solutions to its customers and supplier partners.
About Primient
Primient is a bioeconomy leader dedicated to transforming corn into innovative, sustainable ingredients used in food and beverage, personal care, packaging, coatings, animal nutrition, and other products for many of the world’s most recognized brands. With approximately 1,800 employees across facilities in the U.S., Poland, and Brazil. Primient is committed to safety, excellence, integrity, and growth to deliver solutions that enrich lives through plant-based solutions. Learn more.