Air Liquide has announced that its subsidiaries Seppic, healthcare specialty ingredients manufacturer, and Schülke, hygiene specialist, broke ground on a green-field state of the art production facility in Sandston, Henrico County - Virginia, United States. Expected to start operations in the first half of 2018, the planned investment is over $60 million and will create approximately 50 new jobs in the community.
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 U.S. represents 25%.
With this facility, the two companies will strengthen their proximity to American customers. The facility is located in the Northeast of the U.S., where the majority of the companies’ customers are. It will be run by a joint venture between Seppic and Schülke, 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.
François Jackow, member of the Air Liquide group’s Executive Committee, supervising the Healthcare activities, said: “ Seppic and Schülke have a long presence in the United States serving leading health and beauty care customers. 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. ”