This year, the Challenge will address the potential of the company’s newest platform in mechanical foamers – the squeeze-operated EZi Foamer -- in the fast-growing body wash category, Norbert de Jong, Marketing Director, announced today. Open to manufacturers, contract packagers, distributors and formulators, the product entry can target women, men, adults or children, as long as it is developed for this latest instant foam dispensing technology.

Awards include a corporate award of 10,000 Euro and a personal award for the formulator by way of a paid weekend trip to Holland during Tulip Time.

Winners of The 2007 Rexam Airspray Formulation Challenge will be announced at HBA 2007, scheduled this year for September 18-20, in New York City. Submissions must be received by August, 15th, 2007. Formulations will be evaluated by an international panel of industry experts.

Last year, Clariant Corporation, a global leader in the specialty chemicals field, was named winner of the second annual Formulation Challenge, for its winning SPF/suncare foam entry.

Rexam Airspray is convinced that instant-foam body wash products represent a major growth segment. “Consumers appreciate innovative body wash products and consider them a daily luxury that enhances their lifestyle,” Norbert de Jong said. “As the market for current products matures,” he said, “look to forward-thinking market leaders to develop new, differentiated products with value-added dispensing – such as our EZi Foamer. Value-added dispenser technology has become a powerful advantage for manufacturers in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”

According to Norbert de Jong, this year’s Rexam Airspray Formulation Challenge will encourage product developers to address this significant international market opportunity. He expects entries designed to appeal to women as well as men and children.

The ergonomic, patent-protected EZi FOAMER is an easy-to-use, no-drip, water-resistant dispenser with single-hand operation. The company’s research and development experts created a “breakthrough” dispenser that allows in-shower, high-output squeeze operation. The EZi FOAMER is an appealing new choice for makers of high-output bath and shower products such as body washes, shampoos and soaps, for adults and children.

Like other Rexam Airspray instant foam dispensers, EZi FOAMERS are cutting-edge, computer engineered mechanisms that allow a precise mixture of liquid and air.

In terms of function and consumer appeal, the EZi FOAMER creates creamy foam that is soothing to the skin and is easy to lather, thus encouraging frequent usage. Consumer acceptance of a wide range of instant-foam product categories will encourage new entries in the bath and body wash market, the company believes. The company’s foamers all work without gas propellants to transform liquid into foam with a single actuation.

You can visit Rexham Airspray at Cosmoprof in Bologna, they are exhibiting in Hall 19 Stand B/52