The Netherlands-based company has opened the Personal Care Application Laboratory Asia Pacific in Glenmarie Shah Alam in the south of the country, a medium-sized city known as a hub for both light and heavy industry.
The laboratory brings the company’s international network to a total of eight facilities, helping to forge a stronger global distribution network, as well as taking advantage of a stronger position to grow in the Malaysian market as well as the Asia Pacific region.
"Having secured one of the leading distribution positions in Europe, IMCD Group has been looking for further growth in Asia-Pacific," a company spokesperson told Cosmetics Design. "IMCD has been successfully operational in Asia for a number of years and our branch in Australia has a long-standing presence in the region."
Building on an international network
For the personal care market the company already has research laboratories established in both Italy and South Africa, while facilities in German, Belgium, India and Sweden are devoted to coatings and in Belgium for food and nutrition.
The company already has an established distribution network for its personal care portfolio in Malaysia, and also serves other categories there, including adhesives, coatings, oleo chemicals, and the household market.
The new lab will be staffed by a team of four, including Ong Yien Shee, account manager; Liew Chiew Ngan, assistant technical manager; Ng Yew Ming, business manager and Grace Chan, business manager.
Experienced workforce
The team members have been recruited on account of their experience in the chemicals field and have been charged with expanding and creating new lines for the domestic personal care category and, to a lesser extent, the household category.
The laboratory will provide formulation prototypes that tie in with the current market trends as well as feedback from consumers, providing complimentary support to sales of raw materials.
The staff will be concentrating their initial efforts on applications for toiletries, sunscreens and feminine hygiene products, while other applications are planned for the future, once the rescources are put in place.