Feb 27 2012 --- Merck KGaA and Azelis have entered into a distribution agreement for cosmetic raw materials from Merck. According to the agreement, Merck will grant the marketing rights for its cosmetic raw materials in Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway to Azelis, a leading European distributor of specialty chemicals. Apart from logistics, Azelis will be responsible for local customer support and applications technology. In turn, Merck will support Azelis with research and development, training and in regulatory issues. The cooperation agreement was signed in December 2011 and has already taken effect.

Dr. Rainer Hoffmann, Associate Director Cosmetics Sales EU North, said: “Consumers of cosmetic products in Nordic countries appreciate locally manufactured products of reliably high efficacy. In addition, it is important to them to protect their skin against stress factors such as the cold and weather, and to prevent it from drying out and ageing. Here, the answer is high-quality raw materials from Merck, the efficacy of which must be demonstrated and explained to customers. This can only be done by a highly skilled and well-trained team capable of relying on experienced experts in research, development and marketing. That is precisely what the cooperation between Merck and Azelis can ensure.”

Merck has been cooperating with Azelis in the United Kingdom and Ireland as well as in Germany for more than 50 years. Azelis is a leading specialty distributor in Scandinavia with a local market presence in the cosmetic industry since 1952. Patrik Edström, Managing Director for Azelis Nordic: “We are looking forward to cooperating with Merck. Our product range for the cosmetics industry is optimally complemented by the range of products offered by Merck. We can offer our customers individualized support thanks to our own Azelis technical application cosmetic laboratories in Moers, Germany and Hertford, UK.”

Merck is a leading manufacturer of ingredients for the cosmetic industry. Apart from colour effect pigments, the company offers customers functional skin care and protection solutions. In particular, effect pigments and functional fillers are used in many cosmetic products in order to provide colour, luster, gloss and other effects. Merck offers a wide range of active ingredients used in skin care cosmetics to protect the skin against UV radiation and premature ageing.

Leading food and grocery companies have removed 204 million heavy goods vehicle (HGV) miles from the UK’s roads, according to new data published today (Saturday) by IGD.

The equivalent of around 3,500 lorries have been taken out of our transport system as part of a commitment by the industry to increase its sustainability. More than 40 food retailers and manufacturers have contributed via IGD’s Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) programme. Solutions have included:

·         Sharing trucks, even with competitors, to minimize the number of empty lorries on our roads.

·         Using the latest vehicle scheduling technology, for example to monitor traffic and re-route if necessary.

·         Switching more distribution operations from road to rail.

Food and grocery companies are some of the largest users of road transport, responsible for one in four of all HGV miles travelled in the UK. The industry recognizes its responsibility to manage its impact on the environment. This commitment includes individual and group initiatives to reduce the fuel used, miles travelled and ultimately the number of vehicles on the UK’s roads.

With global oil prices rising by over 180% between 2000 and 2010, this also makes good business sense.

Joanne Denney-Finch, chief executive, IGD, said: “Meeting this latest target is a notable milestone but the industry’s commitment to transport sustainability doesn’t stop here. IGD continues to bring a wide range of food companies together to offer fresh thinking on how they can co-operate in a positive way. In addition, more than 200 transport opportunities have been identified since last September and many of the organizations have already started working together as a result.

“Although there will always be a need to transport food and consumer goods from producers to shoppers, we will continue to seek ways to do this more efficiently.”

Ian Keilty, Booker development director and ECR UK co-chair, said: “When we first set out our targets, I don't think anyone was sure how we would deliver what seemed like a massive challenge in the time we allowed.

“Looking back over the culmination of five years’ hard work, this is a real advertisement for facilitated collaboration to reduce inefficiencies. For us the whole is more than the sum of the parts.”

Chris Poole, Diageo customer services and logistics director and ECR UK co-chair, said: “This is great example of how collaboration between suppliers and retailers can deliver tangible benefits to consumers and have a positive impact on the environment.

“There’s more to do but taking over 200 million miles off the road is a major achievement on which to build.”

The target was set in 2007 through the Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) UK programme. This is a forum, facilitated by IGD, that brings together supply chain directors of leading food and grocery retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers and foodservice operators.

IGD has helped companies meet the target of removing 200 million HGV miles by facilitating partnerships and developing a series of online best practice guides. These are aimed at helping companies assess and improve the efficiency of their supply chain operations. These include:

·         An interactive tool to help businesses identify technologies to improve their transport systems.

·         More than 100 case studies to show how various companies have made their deliveries more efficient.

·         Savings calculator to help firms capture and record their logistics savings.