Private label brands of laundry detergent are well-positioned to grow, but differentiating their offerings can be difficult in a crowded market where consumers rarely change their buying habits, according to market researcher Mintel. Consumers increasingly value convenience and sustainability, fueling growth in plant-based laundry products as well as single-dose, ultra-concentrated detergent packs that eliminate the need to measure detergent, says the American Cleaning Institute's Brian Sansoni.

Global Info Research expects the global industrial and institutional cleaning market to grow 4.6% annually over the next five years, driven by three major trends: health care, robotics and biological solutions. Companies such as Ecolab, Diversey, Clorox and Procter & Gamble are spearheading innovation in the market and promising to usher in a new era of cleanliness.

Consumer packaged goods companies such as Procter & Gamble, Clorox and L'Oreal are driving tremendous growth in influencer marketing spending, with Instagram and YouTube serving as the top platforms, according to an Ad Age report. Influencer marketing is proving more successful than traditional outreach, and brands are shifting to microinfluencers to boost authenticity and conducting thorough background checks to ensure brand integrity, the report notes.

Atmospheric chemists are stepping up efforts to assess indoor air quality and identify the chemicals in indoor air, which could eventually help toxicologists and other health specialists to find out how these compounds affect human health. The composition of indoor air is influenced by many factors such as cooking, cleaning, ventilation and furnishings as well as the occupants of a house.

The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association is pushing for more harmonized regulations for chemicals classification and labeling at a regional and global level. The GPCA is collaborating with the Gulf Standards Organization to promote adoption of the United Nation's Globally Harmonized System.

A team of Brazilian and British scientists has developed a novel fermentation method that uses engineered Escherichia coli bacteria to convert plant waste into coniferol, a chemical that is vital to the fragrance industry. The results were reported in the journal Green Chemistry.

SC Johnson-owned Ecover has joined forces with Anheuser-Busch InBev to repurpose alcohol extracted from beer into eco-friendly detergent. "The brewery was asking us what can we do with the alcohol, because it's piling up, it's a large quantity, that's why we were looking for partners," AB InBev's David De Schutter said.

The Energy Department has introduced the Plastics Innovation Challenge with the goal of finding ways to "deconstruct the existing plastic waste and upcycle it into higher-value products" and "develop new plastics that are recyclable by design," said Energy Secretary Rick Perry. Perry says the agency plans to spend $50 million next year on the initiative, which will also explore new chemical-based methods for breaking down plastics.

As of December 9, 2019, ACI has a new address: 1401 H Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005. "We are still in the heart of DC, close to lawmakers and key regulators as well as our association allies," says Melissa Hockstad, ACI President & CEO. "The new office will also offer improved facilities for when we host member meetings." Our phone numbers and email addresses remain the same. If you're coming to Washington, please let us know and visit our new space. Contact our Membership Office for more information.

The 5th Annual Innovation & New Technology Showcase will shine the spotlight on the latest commercial applications and trends hitting the cleaning product marketplace during the 2020 ACI Convention. On Friday, January 31, representatives from BASF, Colonial Chemical, Croda, Dow Chemical, Oxiteno and Sozio will highlight innovations in formulation and R&D and how these companies are bringing them to market. Make sure you register today for the 2020 ACI Convention, beginning January 27 at the Grande Lakes Orlando. For more information, contact ACI's Meetings Department.