Keep your friends close and your customers closer. That’s the strategy behind Clariant’s new Consumer Care Innovation Center (CCIC), which opened in New Providence, NJ, earlier this year. The global ingredients supplier to the personal care and home care industries has been focused on North America for years, and the Center is the latest example of how Clariant is employing resources to grow the business, according to Neslihan Utkan, head of consumer care, North America.
 
“Having the Center in New Jersey is part of our global innovation strategy for consumer care,” she explained. “We have our customers’ needs in mind and the New Jersey Innovation Center is close to our customer base.”
 
Clariant expects customers will visit the CCIC on a regular basis and work together to create solutions for consumers. The Center has co-creation spaces, laboratories and demonstration rooms. Customers can also take advantage of claim substantiation capabilities onsite. The 15,000-square foot facility has enough room to house sales, marketing and technical staff, as well. It all makes for a comprehensive, convenient workspace for Clariant’s customer base. 
 
“Customers are happy to have Clariant in the tri-state area. They appreciate having our team here and being closer to the team,” said Utkan. “The market changes quickly and requirements change on a nearly quarterly basis. The Center is an inspiring, co-creation space.”
 
According to Utkan, the Center has already welcomed several customers since its opening just a few weeks ago. And, coupled with Clariant’s technical center in North Carolina, customers can have all their answers met. 
 
“This is a sister site to our North Carolina site and demonstrates our global competency,” she explained. “North America is powerhouse of innovation.”
 
Innovation is evident in the influx of independent beauty brands that have dominated the market in recent years. The rate of change is very high among indies, which is another reason why Clariant made the New Jersey investment. At the same time, North America has seen more than its share of innovations in laundry care with unit dose packs, additives and other new products, Utkan added.
 
She pointed out that there are no major boundaries between home care and personal care. Innovations center on meeting consumer needs with more sustainable solutions, such as less packaging and less water usage.
 
For example, at last month’s California Suppliers’ Day, Clariant introduced its Remagine concept focused on sustainability and convenience. These skin and hair care formulas create water-free products that are travel-friendly and convenient. 
 
“We even see trends emerging from the food space. It is a great ecosystem where one concept can impact several industries,” she said.
 
Now that the Clariant Consumer Care Innovation Center is open for business, formulators have a single convenient source for their next breakthrough product.