An Interview with CrossChem: Pure Chemistry and Innovation

In this insightful interview, we dive into the story behind CrossChem, a company known for its commitment to high-purity chemistry and innovation. As their proud European distributor, Berg+Schmidt is excited to share how CrossChem's expertise - rooted in the pharmaceutical and aerospace industries - has driven their success in the personal care sector.

Jeff, CEO from CrossChem, walks us through the company's journey, highlighting key milestones, innovative products such as GlyAcid^® and their approach to sustainability. He also shares exciting developments on the horizon, including cutting-edge technologies such as GlySmart^® and GlyBond^®.

B+S: Can you give us a brief overview of CrossChem? How did the company start and what were the most important milestones?

Jeff: CrossChem was established in 2001 as a spin-off from Rohm and Haas Company, bringing with it two flagship products: HiPure™ ECN (ethylene cyanohydrin) and HiPure™ PA (phenyl acetate). Initially, the company focused on serving the pharmaceutical and aerospace industries, leveraging the management team's long-standing relationships in these sectors. However, the spin-off required extensive product re-validation for each market. This rigorous process, which included comprehensive customer audits of the new manufacturing sites and pilot campaigns, took over a year to complete. Now, more than 20 years later, CrossChem has successfully passed numerous internal and external plant audits, enabling us to maintain and expand our market presence while solidifying our reputation for quality and reliability.

B+S: What makes CrossChem unique in the cosmetic industry? What core competencies and values does you company bring?

Jeff: Our extensive experience in the pharmaceutical and aerospace industries has fostered a deep commitment to quality and reliability, values that seamlessly align with the rigorous demands of the personal care sector. At CrossChem, "Pure Chemistry" is not just a tagline—it’s our guiding mission. We specialize in producing high-purity products with minimal impurities, delivering exceptional performance and building trust within the cosmetic industry.

B+S: What is so special about GlyAcid^®? And what are its possible applications?

Jeff: GlyAcid^® R&D began in 2004 to address the growing demand for clean chemistries in personal care, particularly formaldehyde-free products. We commercially launched the product in 2010. More than 20 years later, GlyAcid^® has established itself as a fundamental active ingredient in the global markets we serve. This versatile compound, the smallest of the alpha hydroxy acids, offers a range of benefits for hair, scalp, skin, and nail health. From head to toe, GlyAcid^® reduces the appearance of wrinkles, strengthens hair, improves scalp desquamation, and softens nail cuticles, making it an essential ingredient in personal care formulations.

B+S: Sustainability is playing an increasing important role in cosmetics. How does CrossChem ensure that the raw material are produced in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way?

Jeff: CrossChem prioritizes sustainability by integrating continuous improvement initiatives into the production of our unique compounds. These initiatives focus on optimizing cost, quality, and environmental impact. For instance, we are actively exploring and developing alternative chemistries and processes that offer sustainability benefits while maintaining commercial viability. Although these innovations are still being refined to meet global standards for quality, cost, and yield, our commitment to sustainability is exemplified in the production of GlyAcid^®—a next-generation glycolic acid designed for high-purity applications. GlyAcid^® is manufactured through proprietary formaldehyde-free chemistries that mitigate health and environmental impact, setting a benchmark for sustainable practices in the personal care industry.

B+S: How important is quality assurance for CrossChem, and what measures are taken to ensure the highest standards?

Jeff: Quality assurance is a fundamental pillar of CrossChem's mission and remains our primary focus across all product lines. From the outset, we design and manufacture products to meet or exceed the rigorous standards required for diverse applications, including commercial aviation, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and personal care among others. To ensure the highest quality, our manufacturing facilities undergo both internal and third-party audits, aligning with global quality standards. These measures reflect our unwavering commitment to delivering reliable and exceptional products to our customers.

B+S: What trends or innovations do you currently see in the cosmetics industry, and how is CrossChem addressing these developments?

Jeff: With our global footprint, CrossChem is uniquely positioned to identify and respond to both local and global developments in the cosmetics industry. It is essential to differentiate between fleeting trends and sustainable innovations. While trends may evolve quickly, true innovation drives long-term value. Two significant areas of focus for CrossChem, informed by our global interactions, are addressing skin sensitivity and advancing keratin bonding technologies. These initiatives reflect our commitment to aligning with market needs while driving meaningful, science-backed innovation in personal care.

B+S: Are there any new products or developments that your partners and customers can look forward to?

Jeff: We are excited to share two key developments that our partners and customers can look forward to.

The first is GlySmart^®, which was recently launched to meet the needs of individuals with sensitive skin. Glycolic acid, while highly effective, can sometimes cause mild irritation for those with slightly higher skin pH. To address this, CrossChem developed a formulation based on a once patent technology that complexes arginine with GlyAcid® to slow the release of free acid. This controlled release significantly reduces skin irritation while preserving the anti-aging benefits of glycolic acid, delivering the efficacy of a smaller molecule with the gentler sensation of a larger one.

The second innovation is GlyBond^®, a patent-pending polymatrix keratin bonding technology. Still in the R&D phase, GlyBond^® has tremendous potential to revolutionize keratin bonding science. We are excited about its progress and look forward to bringing it to market in the near future. Stay tuned for more updates on this promising development!

Thank you for the great interview!