As global trade dynamics shift, surfactant producers must navigate an increasingly fragmented landscape shaped by tariffs, overcapacity and shifting regional strategies. The event will explore strategic and tactical responses to these disruptions and the role of localisation, innovation and collaboration in growing a business amid volatility.

With increasing pressure from consumers, brand owners and regulators, surfactant innovation is moving closer to end-use applications and sustainability goals. We will explore how companies are navigating volatile ingredient costs, increasing regulatory demands and growing consumer expectations for authenticity and environmental impact. We’ll examine formulation innovations, the viability of biosurfactants, and how to tailor new products for diverse demographics across Asia.

With palm-based feedstocks facing sustainability scrutiny, the shift toward other types of surfactants is getting a fresh look across the industry. Can they match or outperform the existing alternatives in key applications such as personal care, home care, industrial cleaning, textiles and other industrial applications? Discussions will address market trends, supply-demand dynamics, and investment strategies in surfactant and feedstock production, and tackle the technical and commercial challenges of substituting palm products. We will also discover how the palm plantation industry is rising to these challenges.