Acquisition after acquisition, KDC/One has grown as a one-stop-shop provider for many beauty categories. The group now generates 62% of its turnover in the beauty and personal care sector and 38% in home care. However, KDC/One is still very focused on North America, which currently accounts for 75% of its business, compared to 18% for Europe and Middle East, and only 7% for Asia.

Increased full service capabilities

With their most recent acquisitions, KDC/One focused on adding their capabilities and broadening their geographic footprint. This was most significantly accomplished through the acquisition of Benchmark, HCT and Paristy.

As a formulation development powerhouse, specifically focused on indie and emerging brands, Benchmark helps KDC/One to strengthen their position in this fast-growth segment.

The addition of HCT, a leading packaging design and production firm in the prestige cosmetics industry, to KDC’s portfolio buoyed their presence with prestige color and skincare brands and enhances their ability to provide a “one stop shop” for those clients seeking a full-service solution encompassing both package and product.

Geographic expansion

Following the acquisition of Alkos and Swallowfield, which enabled the group to gain a foothold in Europe, KDC/One set foot in Asia by taking over Paristy, with manufacturing based in Shanghai and R&D in Taiwan.

Paristy provides a base for expansion into the high growth Chinese Beauty market. The business offers world class technology in lip, eye and complexion products that complement and enhance existing capabilities at Kolmar in the US, as well as Alkos and Inter Cosmétiques in France,” said Wayne Swanton, President Beauty & Personal Care at KDC.

In order to increase its focus in that market ensuring to be able to meet their increased demand and be fully prepared to service its customers’ needs in the region, the group has recently added a Head of Asia.

Sustainable beauty

In line with the major trends of the moment, KDC/One is currently concentrating its innovations on sustainability.

In working with our Brand Partners, we are able to deliver high-performance technologies in an effort to help minimize the ecological and global footprint. Our talented R&D Teams collaborate to offer advancements in waterless technology, cold process manufacturing, and incorporating sustainable ingredients to create more transparency for consumers,” underlines Wayne Swanton.

As far as packaging is concerned, KDC/One mainly relies on the capabilities of HCT. At the end of 2020, the company launched CLT (which stands for Crimpless Tube Technology), a new tube collection designed to stand above the limitations of typical tubes by unlocking new aesthetic possibilities and functionalities.

In addition, the HCT team strives to increase sustainable options for its customers, through the use of recycled plastics, bioplastics as well as refillable packaging solutions.