CHINA. The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has announced the opening of the Estée Lauder Companies Asia Innovation Center, located in Shanghai, China.
This new innovation facility expands the company’s existing research capabilities, reinforcing its commitment to local consumers by developing products tailored to the specific needs of Chinese and Asian skin. It will explore the genetic basis for differences in the response of human skin to environmental stressors and study the safety and efficacy of topical botanical and synthetic materials in order to develop new products for the company’s brands.
President and Chief Executive Officer Fabrizio Freda; Executive Vice President, Research and Development Harvey Gedeon; and Group President, International Cedric Prouvé attended the Asia Innovation Center’s official inauguration with President for ELC Asia Pacific Fabrice Weber; General Manager Carol Shen and Senior Director, Research and Development Jing Cheng for ELC in China.
“Chinese consumers have very high standards regarding their skin care and serve as an inspiration to us in developing world-class products specifically tailored to Chinese and Asian skin,” said Freda.
“We are bringing to China the best technologies from the US and combining them with top Chinese scientists and researchers. Through this collaboration, we are gaining critical consumer insights in China, closest to the most demanding consumers who have the highest expectations for beautiful skin and sophisticated, innovative skin care regimes. As a result, we will be able to create even better products for consumers in China and around the world,” Freda added.
 |
(L-R) Yin Hong, Vice General Manager, Shanghai Zhangjiang Group; Carol Shen, General Manager, ELC China; Huang Feng, Vice Chairman, Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce; Fabrizio Freda, President and Chief Executive Officer, the Estée Lauder Companies; Xie Minqiang, Deputy Director, Shanghai Municipal Food and Drug Administration; Harvey Gedeon, Executive Vice President, Research and Development, the Estée Lauder Companies; Beatrice Camp, US Consul General, at the opening of the new Estée Lauder Companies Asia Innovation Center (Photo: Business Wire) |
The Estée Lauder Companies’ vision is to be the global leader in prestige beauty, with brands that deliver the best experience, products and services to consumers in all parts of the world. To realise this vision, the company said it has prioritised local relevance and is creating products closer to consumers, as a key strategic driver of all its brands.
The company first entered China in 1993 and opened its first research lab in 2005. Since that time, the Estée Lauder Companies has been investing resources in research and development, consumer insights and branding capabilities.
“Skin care represents two-thirds of prestige beauty in China. To have a facility right in the heart of this very important region – a region particularly focused on high-performance products and safety – will drive our creativity on all levels,” said Shen.
“We are committed to our efforts in China and believe the region will continue to be a major growth opportunity for the dompany as well as providing world-class products to Chinese consumers,” Shen added.
In addition to scientific and consumer research, the Estée Lauder Companies Asia Innovation Center will focus on the company’s Green Chemistry programme, which aims to make products more environmentally sustainable. The programme examines the full life cycle of a product, from conception to end-user and beyond. It includes applying sustainable practices such as energy conservation, recyclable packaging, waste reduction and limiting the amount of ingredients in product formulations.
“Our Green Chemistry programme is truly a pioneer within the industry,” stated Gedeon. “We are continually finding new ways to embed the principles of Green Chemistry in our global manufacturing and product innovation. Our best-in-class scientists and researchers in China are using the most advanced technologies developed from our team in the US to create highly innovative and effective products for our consumers.”
The Estée Lauder Companies’ Chinese Dermatologist Expert Panel, which includes dermatologists and researchers from China Medical University, will continue to advise the company regarding scientific research and innovation.
The Estée Lauder Companies’ brands currently sold in China include Estée Lauder, Clinique, La Mer, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Aramis, Origins and the licensed brands Tommy Hilfiger and Donna Karan. Their products are sold in upscale department stores and perfumeries in 39 major Chinese cities. The company has also launched e-commerce sites in China for Clinique, Estée Lauder, La Mer and MAC.
Download free from the iTunes App Store | |
