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Cosmetica Labs |
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All that glitters
Cosmetica Labs is at the centre of the global beauty biz.
Dealing with the needs of clients on a global scale means that companies need to be flexible, responsive and well equipped for their business to not only succeed, but also excel.
In the beauty industry, trends come and go in the blink of an eye. Just when everyone is finally stocked up on a specific cosmetic product, the season changes and a new product moves in to steal the show. It's an industry that never pauses, never stops changing and always reinvents itself.
The companies that shape the industry must move and shake just as quickly as the public's oft-changing whims. Cosmetica Labs in Toronto, Ontario, a privately owned cosmetics manufacturing company, is one such fast-moving company. From concocting that perfect cosmetic product to designing and producing stylish and desirable packaging, Cosmetica takes the world's top cosmetic brands from start to finish.
Cosmetica Laboratories Inc. is one of the world's most vertically integrated cosmetics manufacturers. They can take the seed of an idea and turn it into a beautifully finished product all under one roof. The products then make their way around the world, to the shelves of high-end global retailers such as Sephora.
"It's basically everything from A to Z," says Dinah Deif, Marketing Manager for Cosmetica. "We offer turn key services to allow our customers to focus on what they do best - marketing their brand. We can take care of all the logistics, procurement, production and sourcing involved in bringing a product to market."
The facility includes an R&D lab, design studio, customer service, sales and marketing, printing of labels and packaging, quality control and quality assurance, various product testing procedures, production, injection moulded plastic component manufacturing, deco box making, corrugate box making, warehousing, shipping and logistics.
Although the highly confidential nature of the beauty business prevents divulging their brand line-up, Cosmetica creates products for over 70 brands, many of which are highly recognizable industry names on a global scale.
Cosmetica's bustling 287,000 square foot facility in Toronto is home to acres of advanced industrial manufacturing equipment, yet many processes, due to their custom nature, cannot be automated and are surprisingly done by hand. And though the variety and complexity of products is very wide, they can produce hundreds of thousands of units per week. This makes Cosmetica very flexible in their work and services, ultimately enabling them to meet the needs of clients around the world.
The micronized powder facility is one of their valued technologies. Micronized powder is a product that has been reduced to very, very fine particles; people like it because it can produce a flawless finish when applied to the skin. All Cosmetica powders go through the same process, with state-of-the-art equipment that blasts the powders with air in order to achieve the super-fine particle size. Other specialized manufacturing equipment includes their multi-colour/pan presses for creating the multi-hued compacts. Like their brand names, Cosmetica keeps its manufacturing processes top secret. Every advantage counts in this highly competitive industry.
Cosmetica has been based solely out of Toronto since they started 20 years ago. They use Toronto-based businesses for supplies when possible, Deif says, and benefit from a labour pool that is both multicultural and educated. And because speed is of the essence, their proximity to the US border is of utmost importance.
"A lot of our clients are US-based," Deif explains. "We don't manufacture overseas because of turnaround time. We do, however, have international partnerships, which give us the capability to do that, so if a customer is looking for an inexpensive program we can help them. But in most cases all of our manufacturing is done right here in Toronto."
That turnaround time is key. The trend-oriented nature of cosmetics means that Cosmetica has to constantly anticipate trends before they start. Local events such as Toronto Fashion Week provide inspiration and direction, and just as importantly, Cosmetica's staff can jump on a plane and be in New York or Los Angeles in a reasonable amount of time for trade shows and industry events.
"It's a very competitive market and customers and consumers are constantly looking for newness and the next hottest product," says Deif. "If it's a really trendy, hot item for a special launch or a press release, you need to have that product right away. The first brand to come out with a revolutionary or new product is bound to get a lot of media attention and recognition for it. Sometimes a new or interesting product is what puts a brand on the map."
Helping get brands on the map is one of Cosmetica's strengths and they have an impressive track record of doing so. They've achieved "tremendous sales growth", the company says, and have a high level of client satisfaction. In this, their Toronto location gives them a unique profile in the global industry. "Many of our clients think highly of Canada and Toronto in particular," Deif says. "They often say it's a pleasure for them to come see us and they love having an excuse to come to our city."
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