Getting to Know Elkem: A Leading Supplier of Silicone Technologies for High-Performance Personal Care Products

An Interview with Gilles Champion, Global Business Manager of Home and Personal Care at Elkem

Gilles Champion, Global Business Manager of Home and Personal Care, is immersed in the exciting opportunities his company is creating and supporting within the personal care market. Opportunities that set Elkem apart from the competition, by providing application expertise and innovative technology solutions with a personal touch.


Elkem Silicones, a division of Elkem, is a global leader in fully integrated silicone manufacturing, operating 13 multi-functional manufacturing sites and 13 Research & Innovation centers around the globe. With a full range of silicone technologies for diverse specialty markets including personal care, Elkem Silicones is committed to creating new and innovative green solutions and business models that promote a sustainable future.

We had the chance to catch up with Mr. Champion to learn more about Elkem, and gain some insight on silicones. Following is a glimpse into his world at Elkem.

#1  Elkem Silicones has achieved quite an impressive trajectory of progress serving the personal care market. What has been the impetus for this growth?

Over the years, we have witnessed the proliferation of specialized and advanced personal care products as consumers around the world desire more from basic grooming supplies. To keep up with demand, Elkem has invested extensively in expanding the depth and breadth of our product offering. What this means is that we have made a commitment to provide fully integrated resources staffed by technology experts that are geographically convenient for our customers. We bring agile innovative solutions!

#2 Would you give us some specific examples of how these investments benefit your customers?

Of course. I’m proud to share that our strategic expansion efforts give our customers access to:

Increased capacities - Most notably was a recent 50% expansion of our production site in China, which put Elkem among the top silicone producers in the region. This positions us well to support the world’s increased silicone consumption, particularly for the customers in Asia Pacific region.

Expanded capabilities - Gained through our acquisition of Basel Chemie in 2019, a highly respected specialty silicones producer for cosmetics in South Korea. The acquisition brought us:

• Extensive cosmetics expertise,
• Insights on leading K-Beauty trends,
• New product research and development, and
• Custom manufacturing.

State-of-the-art Application Laboratories in Shanghai, Seoul and Bangkok, Spain, Brazil and USA which have the flexibility to serve product development needs of any size customer, without having to employ a one-size-fits-all approach.

#3 Elkem’s MIRASIL™ brand has long been recognized for its consistency, quality, and global regulatory compliance. How is PURESIL™, Elkem’s new brand, complementing that reputation while providing even more opportunity for advanced applications?

PURESIL™, our new brand, will focus on innovation and advanced product offerings to address market trends and unmet needs.

For example, our newly launched PURESIL™ Elastomer Series combines age-defying benefits with luxurious sensory and SPF boosting. In addition, one of the elastomer gels, PURESIL™ ORG 01 has over 80% of its composition derived from sustainable sugarcane. Simply put, PURESIL™ offers versatile performance ingredients that enable a higher level of creativity for our customers. Creativity that differentiates them in the marketplace.

#4 Despite scientific evidence to the contrary, there are still myths about silicones in the marketplace. Would you help us understand why Silicone is an excellent choice for personal care products?

Yes! Silicones are mineral-based polymers that have been widely used in personal care products for over 70 years. They are proven safe and effective performance ingredients that can fulfill an extensive range of needs. From enhanced transfer resistance in cosmetics, to reduced greasy sensations of moisturizers and sunscreens, along with a host of other desirable product attributes, the use of silicones consistently increases product performance without sacrificing safety.

#5 Speaking of sustainability, Elkem is setting the bar high within the marketplace - would you share the progress the company is making in this area?

Sustainability is a driving force for continuous improvement and innovation at Elkem. At Elkem, we define our sustainability work as continuous efforts to maximize our positive impact on the environment and society, while minimizing any negative effect. We want to be good stewards of the planet not just in words, but in practice. in our 2020 ESG Report, 83% of our electrical consumption came from renewable energy production, and 63% of our waste was reusable and/or recyclable. These numbers are good, but we strive to do better. Disclosure is a primary part of this engagement, and we can proudly state that in 2020, Elkem received a Gold rating from Ecovadis and was ranked by CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) in the Climate A List.

A few years back, we committed to a 20% replacement of direct fossil CO₂ emissions for Norwegian smelters by 2021, but actually reached that goal in 2020. Our next step is to reach 40% by 2030. That said, we won’t stop there, in 2021 we will disclose a comprehensive mapping of our scope 3 emissions and all relevant information related to the CDP Water Report. Our deep commitment to the environment promises we will be engaged in never-ending improvement efforts in all areas of our value chain.

Get Inspired: Explore starting point formulations utilizing Elkem's Silicones and get ideas for your next development

#6 It sounds like Elkem Silicone is strategically positioned to be a specialty silicone supplier of choice in the personal care market. Is this what you mean by ‘Delivering Your Potential?’

We commit to ‘delivering your potential’ for every customer. As one of the few vertically integrated global silicone producers, we are uniquely positioned to support our customer’s success. This means we will maintain a true global footprint by having R&D and manufacturing facilities located worldwide, while at the same time developing local market intimacy. It also means resources will be devoted to support regulatory compliance demands, while concurrently keeping abreast of fast moving multi-cultural applications and trends.

But most importantly, it represents our overarching commitment to helping our customers achieve their best results. I take pride in knowing we are poised and determined to do so.

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About Gilles Champion

Gilles Champion, Global Business Manager of Home and Personal Care at Elkem Silicones. Mr. Champion has 32 years’ experience in the Silicones industry, with a strong track record in R&I, industrial, marketing and business.