- 25/08/2022
- Bo International
As someone who is into the cosmetics business, you don’t have to manufacture the cosmetics by yourself. You can either outsource the entire manufacturing or part of the manufacturing process to a contract manufacturing company.
A contract manufacturing company also termed as a private label cosmetics manufacturer indulges in the manufacturing and packaging of cosmetic products. You can dictate the ingredients, manufacturing process, packaging style, and label names to them and they will do everything as per your command.
However, due to the huge growth in the demand for cosmetic and pharmaceutical products especially during and after the pandemic, new cosmetic brands are facing difficulties in finding a contract manufacturing company. It is because most of them are already working with several brands and might not have the necessary time and labour to manage your requirements.
Even if you manage to find some contract manufacturing firms, you might face issues like late replies to emails and other conversations or delays in completing your assignments. You don’t have to worry though as we are providing all the key insights in this article that will help you to find the perfect contract manufacturing company as per your needs. Here are a few ways through which you can find a private label contract manufacturing firm without many issues:
Research Online
The easiest way to find a company that can manufacture cosmetic products for you is through online listing websites. However, you need to find listings that particularly contain the name and contact details of contract manufacturing companies that indulge in manufacturing cosmetic products.
There are many types of contact manufacturers out there who manufacture different things like apparel, fitness accessories, fashion accessories, etc. Therefore, you don’t need to waste time going through all of them to find the one that produces cosmetics.
Some leading cosmetic manufacturing companies might also have their own website and apps. You can easily place your order on their website or get a quote as per your expectations online. Through contact details like email and phone number, you would be able to communicate the finer details of your expectations with them. Discussing the scale and kind of products you want immediately or in the near future is also vital.
Through online means, you can also check the expertise, experience, and other details of a contract manufacturing company. It would be easy for you if the mobile app or website has client reviews or testimonials. It is because these reviews and testimonials will give a rough idea of how good or bad their services are going to be. Therefore, you can make decisions according to the reviews as well.
However, client reviews aren’t always reliable as many companies tend to publish fake testimonials and reviews on their websites. Therefore, finding a reliable and competent private label contract manufacturing firm can be a tough task even if you have access to several online resources. You can also find such companies through contacts and friends. However, it might consume a lot of time to find the ones with the right expertise.
We would suggest you choose B2B platforms that allow contract manufacturers and brands to connect seamlessly with each other. Some B2B platforms also operate in India and they can provide you with many benefits. For example, such platforms have a huge database of clients and manufacturers.
Also, their website might have built-in filters and categories that can enable you to find the companies as per your needs seamlessly. You can also take advantage of their community by connecting with like-minded businessmen and contract manufacturers who can understand your challenges and suggest solutions.
Compare Manufacturing Companies
Once you find a contract manufacturing company that agrees to make cosmetic products for you as per your terms, things can proceed forward smoothly. You can sign a contract with them and start rolling products. However, you shouldn’t be relying a lot on a single company. It is a wise approach to divide your product line into multiple categories and assign the manufacturing work of each category to a separate manufacturer.
This will not only help you assess the efficiency of the manufacturers but will also help you to compare them on the basis of their cosmetics packaging quality, quality of products, the effectiveness of products, adherence to deadlines, cost, and many other factors.
Check Certifications
While it is essential to compare the manufacturers on the basis of their expertise and costs, you must also check their certifications before moving forward. For instance, it would be better if you find a company that also has the certifications from FDA and other government approvals that are necessary for manufacturing cosmetic products. Also, you must take professional assistance to check whether the certifications shown by the manufacturers are authentic or not.
Taking such calculated measures, in the beginning, will help you to avoid any issues or legal complications in the beginning. After checking the certifications, you should ensure whether the contract manufacturing company uses pure or natural ingredients or not.
The use of certain ingredients, colours, and additives is restricted by FDA. The production facilities must be hygienic and safe. Any carelessness can affect the health of your consumers. Therefore, you must ensure that all the things are in the right place before launching your products in the market.
Check Industry Experience
The experience of a Private Label Contract Manufacturing firm determines whether it has enough knowledge of the product domain. Also, having industry-specific experience is essential as you would want your products to be made and finished perfectly. You would also have to look beyond industry experience sometimes. It would be great if you find a manufacturing company that works in niches that you target.
For instance, if you are into men’s grooming products, you would expect someone who is working in the same niche. Similarly, if you don’t find a contract manufacturing company that has experience in the niches that your business targets, you might be cautious before working with them. Also, experience is not the only criteria for tying knots with a manufacturer.
Your ultimate goal would be to test the products and ensure that they are good enough to be launched in the market. For that, you should work with the manufacturers who agree to provide samples before starting the actual work. Check the complete portfolio of the company to understand its expertise and specialization.
Sometimes, even the experience won’t guarantee that the products will meet your expectations. Therefore, it is essential for you to carry out in-depth research on a company before working with it. It would be a smart move if you find and analyse the companies that are in line with your product line.
Client Portfolio and Testimonials
These days, most cosmetic manufacturers operate their business through online means. Therefore, you can check the portfolio of the Contract Manufacturing Company through their website. Social media channels like LinkedIn and Facebook pages can be other means to analyze their work and experience.
As we had mentioned before, the testimonials and reviews on their website will give you a fair idea of their services. Some manufacturers might also have case studies on their websites that explain how they solved a particular issue or fulfilled a particular demand of a brand.
By going through these case studies, you can understand the kind of offers you can get from them. It will help you approach them and decide on the final quotes. Don’t determine the efficiency of a manufacturer just by their testimonials, case studies, and other online materials. You might also want to speak with the clients of such manufacturers to ensure that whatever is mentioned on their website is authentic or not.
If you don’t find their contact details on the website, you can ask them to provide the contacts of the clients that they had previously worked with. By talking and discussing some things with their clients, you can determine whether they are professional and competent enough to work with you. You can also make a discrete background verification to ensure that you are working with the right manufacturer.
If the company has an online app, you can check the reviews and ratings on platforms like Google Play Store or App Store. Similarly, you can check the websites that have online reviews of such companies.
Online Reputation
The online reputation of a company can be a major factor while deciding its authenticity and expertise. It is because an online presence will enable you to make quick decisions. Data-driven companies always prefer to make decisions based on real data rather than fake ones.
Therefore, you would need professional assistance to determine whether someone has legit reviews and testimonials on their website or not. These days, social analytical tools are available that give you access to the conversations these companies have with their prospects through social media comments and posts.
Also, while checking online reputation is good, you must also maintain working relationships with the top manufacturers. It will help you scale your business to greater heights. Online reputation must not be the sole factor in evaluating the expertise of a manufacturer.
You must also see whether they are capable of delivering the right results with the ingredients that you expect to be in your products. Also, their manufacturing process should include advanced technology and equipment that enable them to follow precise measurement, state, and consistency of the ingredients during the formulation phase.
Online credibility minimizes the risk factor and helps you to create contracts with them without any confusion. However, you should also ensure that the contract manufacturing company you are working with has tie-ups with enough suppliers and vendors so that they can deliver an assignment within a given deadline. Also, these days brands are eager to work with companies that follow sustainable and eco-friendly practices in their manufacturing and procurement process.
For instance, if the manufacturer needs natural supplies like essential oils and roots of certain plants, they must also plant more trees and plants to maintain the ecological balance. Working with sustainable manufacturers is also an advantage in terms of social branding. Companies that participate actively in eco-friendly programmes garner online support as well. Therefore, working with such companies can also provide better visibility for your brand.
Products Manufacturing Range and Capabilities
Analyzing the capabilities and product manufacturing range of a private label contract manufacturing firm will help you to extend your product line in the future. The capability refers to whether the final outcome provided by the manufacturer is predictable or not. Range refers to whether a manufacturer will be able to provide varieties in the same category.
For example, if you are interested in making face creams, a manufacturer that can provide numerous varieties of face creams using different kinds of ingredients would be ideal. It will help you target a wide range of audiences by providing similar products with slight differences as per the skin tone, skin type, and skin issues of different individuals.
Finding the company with the right product range and capabilities will help you to find the right partner as per your company’s future goals and vision. It would be better if you find a contract manufacturing company that specializes in all the market segments like skin care, hair care, bath and body care products, and baby care products. This will ensure that you can grow your brand seamlessly with the expertise and support of the manufacturer.
Conclusion
We hope that you now have a fair idea of how to go about finding the right contract manufacturing company for your cosmetics business. Also, test the products before launching them and if possible don’t outsource all your manufacturing needs from one supplier. It will make your firm dependent on one manufacturer.
Always go for the business partners who provide high-quality products by using natural, safe, and pure ingredients. For instance, if you want to find a reliable provider of natural products and supplies, you can check the website of Bo International.
It is one of the largest suppliers of natural products and supplies in India. You can get soap bases, essential oils, carrier oils, and other ingredients required to make top-quality cosmetic products. Order high-quality ingredients from Bo International and make your cosmetics business successful!
