Cosmetic ingredient maker Polykon clears land for new US manufacturing facility

The new ingredient manufacturing entity Polykon is a joint venture from Air Liquide subsidiaries Seppic and Schülke. The two companies “have a long presence in the United States serving leading health and beauty care customers,” ​explains François Jackow, a member of the Air Liquide’s executive committee overseeing healthcare, in a press release.

“This first manufacturing unit for the two companies in the U.S. 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.”  ​

Ready to build​

Polykon has cleared land on its 22 acre site in Henrico County, Virginia. Actual construction is expected to start soon. The finished plant will occupy 80,000 square feet, employ 50 people, and cost $60m.  

Commenting on Wednesday’s groundbreaking to J Blackwell of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Polykon manager Lionel Genix calls it a “big milestone. It is something we have been working on for more than a year and half now. We are planning to start shipping by mid-2018.”​

The building project has been in the works for some time. When Cosmetics Design first reported​ on the forthcoming Polykon plant, construction was anticipated to begin last spring.

Once complete, the manufacturing facility will make cosmetic ingredients, preservatives in particular, according to the Times-Dispatch.