Stating that the use of the lab will be to develop product prototypes geared towards the consumer in line with market trends, it will also serve to show customers how different specialty ingredients used in personal care products work.
Product prototypes
According to Univar, the new lab will enable its personal care employees to demonstrate their formulating skills whilst creating prototypes for its customers.
In the process of formulating a variety of product prototypes for hair and skin care, this will apparently showcase the company’s supplier-partners’ products.
With each of the prototypes including products from many suppliers, the personal care lab’s focus at present, for prototype development is on naturals, sulphate-free cleansing, and anti-aging.
Meeting customer needs
Commenting on wanting to be able to connect customers with the ingredients and information they need to be successful, Denise Elias-Costrini, personal care marketing manager at Univar elaborated saying, “The personal care industry is a very tactile one in which customers like to see and feel the benefits of the ingredients”.
Thus, commenting further, she stated the company’s ideology as being one where if it can provide customers with a great formulation that can be used as a starting point, it would have created value.
Also, according to the company, the lab would allow a certain level of playing around with different ingredients and learn about the way in which they can work together.
Anticipated growth
A three station formulating facility, the lab is equipped to develop and produce prototypes as well as perform analysis, stability testing and scale-up.
As such, Univar anticipates growth in three specific areas – the speed at which a new product launches for specialty suppliers; the cultivation of the technical development and skills of the personal care team; and the ability to provide value and expertise to customers and suppliers.