SOAPS AND DETERGENTS: Industry relies increasingly on suppliers to keep up with fast-paced reformulations

Judging from the I meager rate at which it has been growing, the huge U.S. soap and detergent business appears to be mature. In 1993, for instance, industry shipments of soap and detergent products rose only 2% from the previous year to $14.9 billion, according to the Department of Commerce's U.S. Industrial Outlook report on cleaning preparations and cosmetics released this month. And in constant dollars, industry shipments are forecast to increase only 2% in 1994 and only slightly more than 2% annually for the next five years, the Commerce report adds. However, this big, sluggish industry is far from stagnant. Motivated by concerns about the environment and getting more for its dollar in the midst of recessionary pressures, the public continues to put pressure on the soap and detergent market to keep evolving. Because household laundry products make up the largest segment of the detergent chemicals market, the consumer's vote—cast in terms of spending ...