Manufacturing and ProductionSoap and Detergent Manufacturing
Detergent is a commodity sold on perceived performance, which means a manufacturer competes on cost per wash while the customer judges foam, smell and how white the shirt looks. This course covers both sides of that. Delegates work through surfactant chemistry in usable terms: anionic, non ionic and cationic types, what each contributes and where they cannot be combined. Soap making follows through saponification, both the kettle and continuous routes, with neat soap quality and finishing by drying, milling and stamping. Detergent powder production is covered across spray drying and dry blending, with bulk density and flow. Liquid detergent and dishwashing formulation follow, including viscosity building and phase stability. Builders, enzymes, optical brighteners and perfume are addressed for what each actually does. Water hardness and its effect on performance are covered. Quality testing follows. The course closes on cost per wash formulation and on stability and shelf life testing.
Course objectives
- Select anionic, non ionic and cationic surfactants and avoid incompatibilities
- Produce soap by kettle or continuous saponification and finish it
- Make detergent powder by spray drying or dry blending with correct density
- Formulate liquid detergents for viscosity and phase stability
- Use builders, enzymes, brighteners and perfume purposefully
- Allow for water hardness in formulation
- Test quality, cost a formulation per wash and prove shelf life
Who should attend
- Production supervisors in soap and detergent plants
- Formulation chemists and technologists
- Quality control staff in home care manufacturing
- Product developers in consumer goods
- Entrepreneurs manufacturing cleaning products
Course outline
- 01Cost per wash against perceived performance
- 02Surfactant types and incompatibilities
- 03Saponification, kettle and continuous routes
- 04Soap finishing, drying, milling and stamping
- 05Powder production and bulk density
- 06Liquid detergent viscosity and stability
- 07Builders, enzymes, brighteners and perfume
- 08Water hardness, testing, costing and shelf life
Scheduled sessions
| Dates | Venue | Format | Price | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 to 14 October 2026 | Mbabane, Eswatini | Classroom | R14,950 per delegate | Register Now |
| 4 to 6 November 2026 | Pretoria, South Africa | Classroom | R14,950 per delegate | Register Now |
| 2 to 4 December 2026 | Kampala, Uganda | Classroom | USD 995 per delegate | Register Now |
| 11 to 13 January 2027 | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Classroom | USD 995 per delegate | Register Now |
| 18 to 20 January 2027 | Cape Town, South Africa | Classroom | R14,950 per delegate | Register Now |
| 17 to 19 February 2027 | Online | Online | R6,500 per delegate | Register Now |