Editor’s Spotlight
International Expansion
Building
Flexible packaging specialist Amcor broke ground last month in Wisconsin, where the company is expanding its existing manufacturing facility. The $25m project will not only add to Amcor’s production capacity but also improve product quality, reduce waste, and update technologies, according to a press release about the investment.
And earlier this year, Australian skin care maker Jurlique announced plans for a $30m production facility near their existing ingredient farm in Adelaide Hills. As Jon Westover, managing director of global operations, explained in comments to Business News Australia: “Jurlique is over 30 years old and up until now has been operating out of another facility, and we’ve maxed that out. So to go forward into the future, we needed a significantly increased capacity and capability.” Read more about that expansion here on Cosmetics Design-Asia.
Buying
Firmenich-owned fragrance maker Agilex bought Fragrance West this summer to expand business on the West Coast. “The West Coast of the US is a unique ecosystem with thriving start-ups driving technology breakthroughs and natural lifestyle trends,” noted Armand de Villoutreys, president of perfumery and ingredients at Firmenich, when the acquisition was announced. He went on to say that “By expanding our presence on the West Coast, this acquisition advances our vision to shape the future of fragrance with leading innovation.”
Here on the East Coast, Arcade Beauty purchased nearly all the operating assets of Suite K. As Cosmetics Design reported at the time, “For Arcade Beauty the deal is all about business expansion. The company is taking on Suite K’s 78,000 square foot production facility in Dayton, New Jersey—and not just the building, the equipment as well.”
Border crossing
In September, Faber Castell Beauty announced plans for a first US-based manufacturing facility. The German company has been in the makeup business for 40 years and for quite some time was producing product solely in that country. In 2013 Faber Castell opened a plant in Brazil. And now the company is moving ahead on plans for a new facility in Elgin, Illinois.
“This is a big step for us,” Countess Mary Von Faber-Castell acknowledged in remarks to the press, “but an even bigger step for our customers,” she said, “since we will be starting several different product lines tailored to their needs.” A comment that suggests the new vertically integrated Faber Castell facility will create makeup pen and pencil solutions expressly for the North American market.
US-based Bell Flavors & Fragrances opened offices this summer in Indonesia and Thailand. The fragrance supply company already has manufacturing around the world (including Asian sites like Shanghai, China and Singapore). But as with Faber Castell, the new Bell locations allow the company to “capture [regional] consumer preferences more accurately,” according to a media release about the sales and warehousing facilities in Indonesia and Thailand.
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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.
