The size and complexity of these operations vary from small plants employing a few people to those with several hundred workers.
Some liquid products are so viscous that they are gels.
The first step in manufacturing all three forms is the selection of raw materials. Raw materials are chosen according to many criteria, including their human and environmental safety, cost, compatibility with other ingredients, and the form and performance characteristics of the finished product. While actual production processes may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, there are steps which are common to all products of a similar form. Let's start by looking at bar soap manufacturing and then we'll review the processes used to make powder and liquid detergents. Traditional bar soaps are made from fats and oils or their fatty acids which are reacted with inorganic water-soluble bases.