HAPPI - April 2015

CONTRACT MANUFACTURING

What They’re Buying

Few observers of the personal care and household space get the 30,000-feet view while working elbow-to-elbow in various segments like contract manufacturers. As a result, they’re often privy to the latest trends and fashions well before products appear in the popular press. When they spot a trend, it’s usually spot-on. At Gar Labs, for example, Raffy has seen a dramatic increase in men’s styling aids, particularly pomades.

“They have grown to the point that we installed a dedicated department for hot filling them,” he explained.

At the same time, there’s renewed interest in conditioning shampoos as well as more orders for body butters and BB creams, according to Raffy.

For more than 50 years, Lady Burd Cosmetics has specialized in putting people into the beauty business, explained Allan Burd, VP and director of product development, Lady Burd Cosmetics. The company manufactures and sells a full range of color cosmetics, powders, custom pressings, skin care, mineral makeup and cosmetics accessories to existing cosmetic companies, entrepreneurs and makeup artists—essentially anyone who wishes to sell their own line of beauty products.

“We have thousands of colors and formulas in our stock line,
and also specialize in custom formulations and filling for many
branded lines,” said Burd. “We also provide brand developing ser-
vices including professional logo printing and custom labels.”
Right now, lips, bright colors and full coverage long wear lip
formulas are trending. Demand for high-end skin care treat-
ments is rising as well, because, as Burd notes, good skin never
goes out of style.

At Kleen Test Products, some of the trends that are running
across multiple categories include increased interest in antibacte-
rial/disinfecting products, the need to blend and fill more complex
formulations and continued interest in new forms of packaging
that increase functionality and are more sustainable, explained
Doug Arnold, senior vice president.

CoValence Labs develops and manufactures cosmeceuticals with a global fusion of elegant textures coupled with natural and science-driven actives, according to Melinda Wochner, chief operating officer and VP-marketing.

“In the past, it was either about the beautiful textures or the results generated by the actives; but now, the drive is to marry both modalities,” she explained.

But whatever they’re selling, a startup has to find the right manufacturing partner.

“They need to look for expertise, longevity and experience
in the market,” explained Karla Horton of Unicep. “They should
partner with someone that will treat their product like their own.”
“We are ISO 22716, ISO 9001 and organic certified,”explained
April Vignone, president, product and packaging development,
Verla International. “We offer customized turnkey programs to
meet the individualized needs of our clients, including marketing
assistance, manufacturing, packaging, blister/shrink/cello wrap-
ping, kits, pack-outs, EDI, and warehousing to shipment of fin-
ished product including drop shipping.”
Verla’s in-house mechanical engineering department builds
all phases of its filling equipment from design concept to cutting
the steel and constructing the equipment from the ground up.

“We are known for our ability to fill and seal all types of unique heat seal tubes, like tube within tube, side by side tubes, extremely large and very small tubes,” added Vignone. “Designing our own equipment has made a significant impact in our high speed filling equipment for fragrances and all loose and pressed powders.”