L'ORÉAL STRENGTHENS ITS SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION CAPABILITIES WITH CUTTING-EDGE NEW RESEARCH & INNOVATION CENTER IN NEW JERSEY

The $140 Million Real Estate Project Marks Historic U.S. Innovation Investment from Global Beauty Leader in Its #1 Market Worldwide

NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- L'Oréal USA today announced that it will be opening a new, state-of-the-art Research & Innovation (R&I) Center in Clark, New Jersey, replacing its existing facilities that it has occupied in the area for more than six decades. The $140 million development project represents the most significant investment in an R&I facility in the company's history.

The new R&I Center will strengthen L'Oréal's capacity to advance the scientific and technological research behind the products and services aimed at meeting the diverse beauty expectations of consumers in the U.S. and worldwide. The R&I Center will focus on beauty innovations across the spectrum of hair, skin, and makeup categories while pioneering research through strategic scientific fields such as Green Sciences and Beauty Tech.  

"This historic investment in our new Research & Innovation Center is an important milestone for L'Oréal USA as we continue to put science at the heart of all that we do to serve our American consumers with more innovative, inclusive, and sustainable beauty products," says David Greenberg, President & CEO of L'Oréal USA. "New Jersey has served as our scientific hub here in the U.S. for over six decades, and we are excited to expand our footprint in the state and bring all our scientific teams together in a beautiful and modern new research facility."

The nearly 250,000 square-foot R&I Center will bring together more than 550 employees across all areas of the company's North America Research & Innovation Division, from Advanced Research to Evaluation and Product Development, under one roof. This ambitious real-estate project advances L'Oréal's commitment to offering each consumer the best innovations in terms of quality, efficacy, and safety while respecting the planet. 

"New Jersey is home to the largest concentration of scientists and engineers per square mile in the United States, which makes our state a prime location for businesses seeking top talent to help them remain on the cutting edge of innovation and development," said Phil Murphy, Governor of New Jersey. "This significant project represents L'Oréal's ongoing commitment to maintaining a presence in New Jersey, and I am thrilled their company has chosen to continue investing in the future of our state."

Agile workspaces and modular labs will be designed to strengthen internal partnerships, creating a comprehensive ecosystem that allows for greater interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. The site will also house the capacity to scale formulations through a dedicated team, which will accelerate the creation and development of new products. The R&I Center will also be the home for external partnerships and scientific collaborations under L'Oréal's Open Innovation strategy.

"Our new campus will serve as the Research & Innovation epicenter for our North America scientific teams across product innovation, development, and testing," explains Sanford Browne, North America President of Research and Innovation at L'Oréal. "The U.S. is a unique market, and our strong presence in this highly collaborative environment will empower us to provide an even higher standard of quality, efficacy, and safety for our consumers. With cutting-edge science and technology, advanced digital tools and data, and a focus on green chemistry, we will continue to invent the future of beauty." 

Reinforcing the company's L'Oréal for the Future sustainability commitment, the new R&I Center will be designed to the highest sustainability standards by reducing energy use, resource consumption, and waste production while developing multi-purpose indoor and outdoor green space to support the area's ecology and biodiversity.

The new R&I Center is currently under construction and is expected to be fully operational in 2024.

About L'Oréal USA       
L'Oréal USA is the largest subsidiary of the L'Oréal Group, the world's leading beauty company. Through its management of over 35 iconic beauty brands, L'Oréal USA has generated more than $8 billion in sales annually. Products are available across all distribution channels including hair salons, department stores, mass market, pharmacies, medi-spas, e-commerce and more. L'Oréal USA's commitment to growth is generated through sustainable innovation and driven by the company's L'Oréal for the Future ambition which demonstrates sustainable development across the Group's value chain. The company is headquartered in New York City, employs more than 11,000 people, and operates administrative, research, manufacturing and distribution facilities across 16 states.

About L'Oréal's Research & Innovation Division
With a budget of over one billion euros, more than 4 000 employees worldwide, an average of 360 innovation projects per year, over 6,900 new formulas launched on the market and more than 510 patents in 2021, L'Oréal Research & Innovation works to satisfy consumers' incredibly diverse beauty aspirations. Organized into three global centers in France (Advanced Research, Haircare, and Cosmetics) and six regional hubs in the United States, Japan, China, India, South Africa, and Brazil, the teams are made up of more than 85 nationalities, 70% women, and more than 50 scientific and tech disciplines.

SOURCE L'Oreal USA