CLARK, N.J. — French cosmetics company L’Oréal Groupe has announced the completion of its new North America Research & Innovation (R&I) Center located in Clark, roughly 13 miles outside Newark, N.J. The $160 million, 250,000-square-foot scientific research center is L’Oréal’s largest outside of France and will complement existing L’Oréal R&I hubs in Brazil, South Africa, India, China and Japan.
“New Jersey has served as our scientific hub here in the United States 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,” says David Greenberg, president and CEO of L’Oréal USA.
The North America R&I Center broke ground in 2022 and comprises a 26,000-square-foot modular laboratory, a consumer center for product testing and co-creation (which accommodates up to 400 patrons) and an onsite mini factory to scale final formulations before full-scale productions. Sustainability attributes of the center include 10,000 solar panels, which meet 70 percent of the facility’s energy needs, an eco-retention pond for stormwater management and employee-led gardening and composting initiatives that create a green workspace.
According to company representatives, the North America R&I Center will play a “pivotal role” in environmentally conscious success for L’Oréal’s portfolio of American brands such as Maybelline, CeraVe, Redken and Kiehl’s.
The Clark center will employ more than 600 scientists, engineers and researchers that will work across various sectors of product innovation, development and testing to create beauty products. The first employees began working at the facility in mid-2023.
A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held today that will be attended by executives from L’Oréal Groupe and L’Oréal USA, as well as Lieutenant Gov. of New Jersey Tahesha Way.
L’Oréal USA is the largest subsidiary of the L’Oréal Groupe, the world’s leading beauty company. Through its management of over 35 beauty brands, L’Oréal USA has generated more than $11 billion in sales annually.
— Abby Cox