Guerlain's new skin care focused facility reconfirms French roots

French Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, President and CEO of the LVMH group, Bernard Arnault and Laurent Boillot, President and CEO of Guerlain attended the inauguration last week.

Since the creation of its first production facility 187 years ago, Guerlain has always manufactured its products in France, and Bernard Arnault, CEO of the LVMH group says this facility's state of the art technology as well as a team of 350 staff will help the brand to meet challenges in the skin care and colour cosmetics segments in the coming years.

“This ultra-high-technology facility is to consistently promote in France, [Guerlain's] expertise in fragrance and cosmetics and its development capacity for the best products whilst complying with the highest quality standards required,” ​adds Guerlain CEO, Boillot.

Re-inforcing the Maison’s French industrial heritage​

The CEO refers to the success of La Petite Robe Noire fragrance brand and the transformation of the iconic Boutique at 68 Champs-Elysées in Paris as examples of the company's acceleration over the past few years.

"La Ruche is a flagship facility in terms of industrial performance, innovation and quality. It is one of the pioneering facilities in the application of ISO8 pharmaceutical standards in cosmetics: 50 clean rooms with positive pressure, filtered air ventilation and laminar flow cabinet​s," says Boillot.

The facility is responsible for the global production of Guerlain skin care and make-up, 75% of which is destined for export.

Located at the heart of Cosmetic Valley, which Guerlain helped to found in 1994, La Ruche reinforces the Maison’s French industrial heritage and the creation of numerous partnerships with local stakeholders, especially the town of Chartres.

According to Boillot, the facility obtained a HEQ (High Environmental Quality) certification to Excellent level, thanks to an ambitious plan: 21,000 m2 of bioclimatic design (solar panels, living green roof, etc.), eco-management of the building (rainwater recovery, etc.), the arrangement of the green spaces and protection of biodiversity.