Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has officially unveiled its new BioTech Hub, located near its manufacturing and distribution campus in Oevel, Belgium. This cutting-edge facility will focus on the production of bio-based raw materials, marking a significant step in ELC’s ongoing efforts to integrate sustainability into its product development and manufacturing processes.
Estée Lauder Companies Launches Cutting-Edge BioTech Hub in Belgium, a move designed to foster innovation and further ELC’s commitment to responsible production. By creating proprietary, bio-based alternatives to traditional ingredients, the BioTech Hub aims to advance sustainability across the company’s global product portfolio. The hub will use biotechnology to produce raw materials from natural sources such as plants, yeast, and bacteria, all while conserving biodiversity and protecting natural resources.
“Our prestige beauty products depend on the highest quality raw materials. By producing our own biotechnology-based materials at one of our main manufacturing campuses, we are able to manufacture at-scale in a more responsible way,” said Roberto Canevari, executive vice president of global supply chain at ELC. “This is a great example of how our end-to-end Value Chain is partnering to advance innovation and sustainability across the enterprise.”
The BioTech Hub will serve as a critical space for ELC’s engineers and scientists to create active biomolecules that will be used as raw materials for skincare products across ELC’s portfolio of brands. Working closely with the company’s Advanced Technologies Pioneering scientists in Melville, New York, the Belgium team will complement ongoing efforts in fermentation and bio-based materials. They will also collaborate with ELC’s manufacturing teams to scale the production of these raw materials and ensure their successful integration into thousands of skincare products.
Estée Lauder Companies Launches Cutting-Edge BioTech Hub in Belgium, and this new facility will enable the company to significantly expand its capacity for bio-based raw materials production. With specialized technology and equipment, the site will strengthen ELC’s leadership in biotechnology, especially in fermentation and biomolecules. Many of ELC’s existing products already utilize bio-based ingredients, and this facility will help scale these efforts even further, contributing to the production of hero products from across the company’s brands.
The new BioTech Hub is a vital part of Estée Lauder’s broader strategy to drive sustainability in beauty. “At ELC, our team of exceptional scientists leverage breakthrough innovation and cutting-edge technology, combined with a passion for sustainability, to drive the development of the efficacious and high-quality ingredients that go into the luxury products our consumers know and love,” said Carl Haney, executive vice president, research, product, and innovation officer at ELC.
The facility is set to move into commercial production in 2025, after months of testing. It will also help enhance the company’s production processes in the EMEA region and beyond. Belgium, known for its leadership in biotechnology in Europe, is the perfect location for this cutting-edge hub, reinforcing ELC’s commitment to the region and innovation.
Estée Lauder Companies Launches Cutting-Edge BioTech Hub in Belgium, positioning the company as a key player in the biotechnology field and strengthening its sustainability efforts across the beauty industry. The new hub will foster partnerships with leaders in biotechnology, creating a more integrated innovation ecosystem in Europe and globally. The site will be led by Caroline Paulussen, PhD, who brings extensive expertise in microbiology and engineering, further emphasizing ELC’s dedication to advancing women in STEM and promoting diversity within its workforce.
