Beauty is in the eye of the optimised process beholder

The rise of self-care means the global cosmetics market is expanding, growing by over 15% in 2022 . With a typical cosmetic product containing 15-50 ingredients  and trends constantly changing, cosmetics production facilities must be able to handle high demand and a wide variety of raw materials. Different raw materials have numerous properties, and therefore varying processing challenges. An optimised production facility is vital for cosmetics companies to remain agile, efficient, and competitive. Here, Florian Walter, MasoSine Product Manager at Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions (WMFTS), explores how updating a facility’s fluid management system can help overcome challenges in cosmetics production.

Victory over viscosity

Cosmetic production facilities have to process ingredients with a variety of viscosities. For example, glycerine and shea butter are much more viscous than aqua and denatured alcohol. Ingredients travel through pumps in several stages of the production process, including during unloading raw materials in the start of production and dispensing the material into Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs), mixers, agitators and storage tanks later on. If the viscosity of a product is too high for the pump, then cavitation can occur, causing the pump to become inefficient. Flow is reduced and can even fail bringing production to a halt. 

Manufacturers that select a pump designed to handle a wide range of different viscosities, such as the MasoSine Certa^® pumps, can be assured that new and existing ingredients, as well as the final product, will be processed effectively. The process will be made more efficient, no matter if it is raw material, unloading or transferring the final product to the filling line. Being both easy to maintain and efficient to run, Certa helps to keep operating costs down and supports manufacturers in meeting their own sustainability goals.

Fighting foam

In the manufacture of products such as soaps, shampoos and shower gels, foaming can present a challenge. Filling times of a foaming product can be much higher than a non-foaming product, as time must be allowed for the foam to disappear in order to dispense the correct amount of product into the container. Foaming can be prevented by using a suitable pipework design that prevents turbulences, as well as selecting optimised pumps and valves that carefully handle product.

Certa pumps operate with a gentle pumping action, which prevents foaming and therefore supports faster filling. This increases product manufacturing efficiency while maintaining product quality. In addition, Certa pumps are easy to clean via both clean-in-place (CIP) and manual cleaning and come with EHEDG Type EL Aseptic Class I certification. All parts are FDA and EC1935 compliant.

Keeping it clean

When handling many different raw materials, it is important for a cosmetics factory to have an effective cleaning system in place to keep products contamination-free. Cleaning equipment that cannot withstand strong chemicals must be replaced regularly, and therefore switching to a better solution can save manufacturers time and money. For example, a well-known pharmaceutical manufacturer was looking to replace silicone hoses used as part of its cleaning process of cosmetics manufacturing equipment. The hoses would change colour and deteriorate after only a short period of use, due to silicone having poor chemical resistance. By switching to an Aflex PTFE hose, the manufacturer has overcome discolouration issues and is reaping the benefits of a longer lasting solution.

From the rising demand for natural ingredients to the latest TikTok makeup look, the cosmetic industry is inundated with changing trends and high demand. Every product has its own unique set of ingredients and cosmetics manufacturers must be able to overcome the challenges of processing these. By selecting a fluid management system that can handle a wide range of ingredient properties, such as varying viscosities for different raw materials or end products and foaming, manufacturers can ensure they remain agile and efficient.