But who ensures that all these products are developed and manufactured, fulfill their purpose in the best possible way, are profitable for companies, and are well received by consumers? This is done, for example, by people who have studied Cosmetic Technology and Detergent Technology at the (TH) OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts. The Faculty of Life Science Technologies took the 40th anniversary of this bachelor's degree program as an opportunity to host a symposium on Friday, November 14. The title of this scientific conference was "Sustainability in Cosmetics and Detergents – Innovation and Challenge." Nearly 250 participants from all over Germany came to Lemgo for the event.
The title of this symposium at the Innovation Campus Lemgo was chosen carefully, as Professor Dr. Thomas Gassenmeier, long-time dean of the faculty, reports in retrospect: "When the need for skilled workers and such a degree program was recognized here at the university in dialogue with companies, the conditions were very different. Today, there are new requirements. And consumers are also focusing on environmental protection and sustainability." Professor Gassenmeier sees these changing signs as drivers of innovation. New requirements called for new recipes.
"Many of our nearly 600 graduates to date work in a wide variety of companies on innovations in the fields of raw materials, formulations, and production. The topic of sustainability is now the driving force behind a significant portion of innovations in all these areas and is of great economic importance to our industry—but at the same time, it is also a challenge in terms of practical implementation," says Professor Gassenmeier.
In the field of cosmetics and detergents, experts work with compositions from a modular system comprising a good 20,000 raw materials. "You can't just swap individual components at will; you have to know what you're doing, which raw materials are compatible with each other and which are not. A simple example: a liquid laundry detergent cannot contain bleach, as this would inactivate the cleaning enzymes. This does not happen with washing powder."
The TKW degree program at TH OWL is unique in Germany. Don't be fooled by the word "cosmetics" in the name: "TKW is not a makeup course, but an engineering and natural sciences degree program," explains Professor Gassenmeier. This means that anyone who wants to graduate from this program should have a basic understanding of chemistry, as probabilities have to be calculated and statistics kept. The fact that women are by no means at odds with STEM subjects is proven by the 90 percent share of female students.
The strength of the bond between graduates was particularly evident during the anniversary celebrations. Maria Huesmann, academic staff member in the faculty, summed it up: "Today is a special symposium. I am delighted that so many TKWists have returned to their old study site and that we have created such large networks together. This cohesion is what defines us – the TKWists can really be described as one big family."
This makes it clear that TKW stands for much more than toothpaste, cream, or detergent. It is a success story from Lemgo that has been shaping the industry for 40 years and setting forward-looking trends in the field of sustainability.
