What is silver ion technology in Activex?

Silver ions (Ag+) have known antimicrobial properties, disrupting bacterial cell membranes and metabolic processes. Activex incorporates silver ion compounds into its soap and personal care formulations and markets the brand on the basis of extended antibacterial protection relative to conventional soap. The specific duration claims (typically 12 hours) are subject to regulatory substantiation requirements in each market.

Where is Activex manufactured?

Activex is manufactured in Turkey at Evyap's production facilities in Istanbul. The brand is produced exclusively in Turkey and exported to more than 100 countries across the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe.

What Activex products are available?

Activex offers bar soap, liquid hand soap, shower gel, deodorant, and hand sanitizer products. The product line is organized around the silver ion antibacterial technology platform, with variants including sport, fresh, and sensitive skin formulations.

Beauty & Personal Care

Who Owns Activex?

Q: Is Evyap publicly traded?

No. Evyap is a privately held company. It is not listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange (Borsa Istanbul) or any other stock exchange. No public financial filings or ownership records are available.

Activex is owned by Evyap Sabun Yag Gliserin Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., a privately held Turkish consumer goods company headquartered in Istanbul. Evyap is one of the largest soap and personal care manufacturers in the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia region. Activex is not publicly traded and Evyap is not listed on any stock exchange. The brand uses silver ion antibacterial technology and is manufactured in Turkey.

Parent Company

Evyap

Founded

2003

Status

Private

Headquarters

Istanbul, Turkey

Activex Timeline

1927

Evyap

Parent company established in Istanbul, Turkey

Company Founded

2003

Activex

Founded by Evyap Product Development Team

Founded

TurkeyOfficial Website

Who Owns Activex?

Parent Company: Evyap
Ownership Type: Wholly owned
Company Type: Privately Held

Brand	Parent Company	Ownership Type
Activex	Evyap	Wholly owned

Where to Buy

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Activex on Amazon

History of Activex

Founded: 2003
Founders: Evyap Product Development Team

Evyap introduced Activex to the Turkish market in the early 2000s, positioning it as a premium antibacterial soap brand differentiated from standard soap products by its use of silver ion technology. Silver ions have known antimicrobial properties, and the brand's marketing positioned Activex as providing longer-lasting antibacterial protection than conventional antibacterial soaps using triclosan or other chemical agents.

The brand launched at a time when antibacterial personal care products were gaining significant consumer attention globally, driven by increased awareness of hygiene and infection prevention. Activex established itself quickly in Turkey's competitive personal care market, achieving broad retail distribution through supermarkets, pharmacies, and general merchandise stores.

Over the following decade, Evyap expanded the Activex line from bar soap into shower gel, liquid hand soap, deodorant, and surface cleaning products. The brand became Evyap's most heavily marketed property, appearing in national television advertising campaigns across Turkey and in export markets.

Activex's antibacterial positioning gained additional commercial relevance during the COVID-19 pandemic period beginning in 2020, when consumer demand for antibacterial personal care products increased substantially across all markets. Evyap expanded production capacity and distribution during this period to meet elevated demand.

About Evyap

What does Evyap own?
Evyap owns and operates 15 personal care brands including Duru, Arko, Activex, Evy Baby, Gibbs, Fax, and Sanino. The company operates manufacturing facilities in Turkey, Egypt, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and also operates Evyapport, Turkey's fourth largest private port. Evyap Life Chemistry, the oleochemical division, serves more than 600 customers across 55 countries. Evyap provides contracted manufacturing services for leading international brands.

Is Evyap publicly traded?
No, Evyap is a privately held company owned and controlled by the Evyap family. The company does not have publicly traded shares and is not listed on any stock exchange, allowing it to maintain long-term strategic focus without public market pressures.

Who founded Evyap?
Evyap was founded in 1927 by Mehmet Rıfat Evyap in Erzurum, Turkey. The company started as a small soap atelier and has grown into one of the world's leading personal care manufacturers under nearly a century of family leadership.

Where is Evyap headquartered?
Evyap is headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey, where the company maintains its corporate offices, research and development center, and primary strategic operations. The company operates manufacturing facilities in Turkey, Egypt, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

How many brands does Evyap own?
Evyap owns 15 brands across personal care categories, including Duru, Arko, Activex, Evy Baby, Gibbs, Fax, and Sanino. Together, these brands offer more than 500 products serving consumers in over 100 countries worldwide.

Who owns Evyap?
Evyap is owned by the Evyap family, descendants of founder Mehmet Rıfat Evyap. The company has remained under family ownership and control since its founding in 1927, with no external shareholders or public trading.

What is Evyap's market position?
Evyap ranks among the top 100 industrial companies in Turkey and holds dominant positions in soap markets across Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The company ranks among the top two soap brands in countries including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Romania, Poland, and Azerbaijan. Activex is the clear leader in Turkey's liquid soap category.

Is Evyap sustainable?
Evyap maintains comprehensive sustainability practices with ISO 9001 quality management certification, GMP certification for cosmetics manufacturing, ISO 27001 information security certification, and RSPO certification for sustainable palm oil sourcing (Evyap Malaysia). The company focuses on environmental responsibility, resource efficiency, and regulatory compliance across its operations.

What is the new Evyap Indonesia plant?
In February 2026, Evyap opened a $130 million manufacturing facility in Indonesia's Sei Mangkei Special Economic Zone, North Sumatra. Operated by PT Evyap Sabun Indonesia, the plant produces palm oil-derived products including fatty acids, glycerin, soap noodles, and finished soap products. It has three production lines with a combined annual capacity of 650,000 tonnes and benefits from tax exemptions of up to 20 years.

Founded: 1927
Headquarters: Istanbul, Turkey
Company Type: Privately Held
Revenue: not publicly disclosed (private); Evyap Malaysia revenue RM2.3 billion (2025)
Employees: Approximately 3,000+

Visit Evyap website

View full company profile for Evyap

Where Is Activex Made / Based?

Headquarters: Istanbul, Turkey
Manufacturing / Operations: Turkey

Activex Categories & Tags

Antibacterial Soap Personal Hygiene Turkish Brand Silver Ion

Activex Sustainability & Ethics

Evyap does not publish a formal sustainability report equivalent to those published by publicly traded multinational consumer goods companies. The company has not disclosed carbon emissions targets, renewable energy commitments, or formal supply chain audit programs in the public domain as of May 2025.

Activex products sold in the European Union are subject to EU Cosmetics Regulation requirements, including ingredient safety assessments and labeling compliance. Evyap is required to comply with applicable Turkish and export market regulations for cosmetic products.

The use of silver ions in personal care products has been subject to regulatory scrutiny in some markets. In the European Union, certain silver ion applications in consumer products are regulated under the Biocidal Products Regulation. Evyap's compliance with applicable regulations in each market is a regulatory requirement for legal sale.

Evyap has not disclosed whether its manufacturing facilities hold ISO 14001 environmental management certification or equivalent third-party environmental certifications.

Awards & Recognition

Evyap and Activex have received recognition in Turkish business and consumer awards. Activex has been recognized in Turkish consumer brand surveys as a leading antibacterial personal care brand in the domestic market. Specific independently verifiable award citations from international third-party bodies are not available in the public record as of May 2025.

Evyap has been recognized in Turkish export achievement awards for its success in building export markets across the MENAT region.

Activex Recalls & Controversies

Silver Ion Claims Scrutiny: The antibacterial efficacy claims associated with silver ion technology in consumer products have been subject to regulatory and scientific scrutiny in multiple markets. Regulatory bodies in the European Union and United States have required evidence-based substantiation for antibacterial duration claims on consumer products. Evyap has marketed Activex with specific protection duration claims, and the basis for these claims is subject to ongoing regulatory review in different markets.

Triclosan Regulatory Analogy: While Activex uses silver ion technology rather than triclosan, the broader regulatory environment for antibacterial personal care products has become more restrictive following the U.S. FDA's 2016 ruling that effectively banned triclosan from consumer hand soaps due to insufficient evidence of efficacy and safety concerns. This regulatory trend has influenced how antibacterial personal care brands globally substantiate their product claims.

No Product Recalls: No publicly documented product safety recall or regulatory enforcement action specifically against Activex has been recorded in Turkish, EU, or international regulatory databases as of May 2025.

Activex Ownership: Pros & Cons

Advantages

+Evyap's established manufacturing and distribution infrastructure in Turkey and export markets provides Activex with cost-effective production and broad regional reach
+Private ownership insulates the brand from short-term public market pressure, allowing Evyap to invest in long-term brand building
+Activex holds a leading position in the Turkish antibacterial personal care market, giving it strong domestic market leverage with retailers

Considerations

-Evyap's private status means no public financial transparency, making it impossible for trade partners, consumers, or analysts to independently verify company health or governance standards
-Activex competes against significantly larger multinational brands (Dettol, Lifebuoy) with greater global marketing and R&D budgets
-The regulatory environment for antibacterial personal care claims is tightening globally, creating potential compliance risk for silver ion efficacy claims in export markets
-The brand's geographic concentration in Turkey and the MENAT region limits international brand recognition outside its core markets

Frequently Asked Questions About Activex

Sources & Further Reading

Competitors to Activex

These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.

Brand	Parent Company	Country	Founded	Market Position	Primary Market	Gender Target
Lifebuoy	Unilever	Netherlands	1894	Mass market	Global	Unisex
DuruSister Brand	Evyap	Turkey	1967	Mass market	Europe	Unisex
FaxSister Brand	Evyap	Turkey	1970	Mass market	Europe	Unisex