Air Liquide builds ingredients plant in US for cosmetics and pharma

Air Liquide, through its two subsidiaries Seppic and Schulke, is building a new specialty ingredients production facility at Sandston (Henrico County, Virginia) in the US for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical markets. Seppic is a healthcare specialty ingredients manufacturer, while Schulke is a hygiene specialist.

Expected to start operations in the first half of 2018, the project will witness an investment of over $60 million. This new production facility will manufacture ingredients for the cutting-edge cosmetic and pharmaceutical global markets. The market for personal care specialty ingredients is worth more than $ 10 billion globally, of which the US represents 25 percent.

With this facility, the two companies will strengthen their proximity to American customers. The facility is located in the Northeast of the US, where the majority of the companies’ customers are. It will be run by a joint venture between Seppic and Schulke, named Polykon Manufacturing. Their resulting synergies will enable to create additional value in their field of expertise while addressing the growing need for innovations in these markets.

Francois Jackow, member of the Air Liquide group’s executive committee, supervising the healthcare activities, said, “This first manufacturing unit for the two companies in the US will extend their innovative potential and enlarge their industrial footprint and proximity with customers within North America, while strengthening their manufacturing capabilities globally. With this investment, Air Liquide pursues the development of its hygiene and specialty ingredients activities, thus strengthening the group’s healthcare business in this region.”