18 SITE VISIT
Jean Paufique and Brigitte Closs-Gonthier
“Initial feedback from customers in the development stage were said to have been “shocked” by the impressive results of using Silafilm”
The company continually comes up with
innovative concepts inspired by the latest scientific advances such as autophagy, microbiota, regeneration, mechanobiology, epigenetics and so on. Thanks to its in vitro laboratory, which studies molecular and tissue biology, and its in vivo laboratory, which performs clinical evaluations on volunteers, Silab can demonstrate the cosmetic efficacy of its active ingredients through robust protocols, while guaranteeing their safety. The Saint-Viance boasts 3,500 m2
total
laboratory surface area that devises at least four new products every year, sometimes six a year. A significant part of Silab’s business
is derived from selling cosmetic active ingredients made on an exclusive basis. These collaborations, which comprise a big slice of its revenue, are usually driven by the customer but developing new cosmetic actives for the general, open market is not quite as straightforward. “It can take two to four years to develop a
new ingredient so our product development team has to detect market signals from consumers very early to know what they will want that far ahead,” says David Boudier, who is Silab’s scientific support manager for R&D having been with the firm for 20 years. These signals can be very weak but they are
there to be found, not just in the personal care space but also in medical and nutrition markets. Hair regrowth and exosomes are popping on Silab’s radar at the moment, says Boudier.
Quality and excellence Whatever it decides to make, Silab insists on nothing less than the highest production
PERSONAL CARE September 2024
standards to guarantee the ultimate quality of its active ingredients. The company has four independent production units for active ingredients covering 10,000 m2
and one
unit including two production lines for biotechnological raw materials (e.g. yeasts, microalgae and bacteria) to secure the supply of unicellular organisms. Silab makes products in
liquid form and, more recently, in preservative-free powder form, with the integration of a spray drying production unit on site. The company makes around 3,000 batches
of cosmetic ingredients every year, with each batch ranging in size from 50kg to 4,000kg. Silab operates a three-shift system, of which one is a cleaning shift after 7pm. In line with its ambitious policy of
sustainability and respect of biodiversity, Silab has introduced environmentally responsible manufacturing processes (using water as a solvent, expertise in enzymatic bioengineering) and parameters to control energy saving. The company also guarantees complete
traceability of its active ingredients up to the marketing of the product. To ensure the efficacy and stability of is
active ingredients, Silab conducts rigorous checks on the botanical raw materials used in its actives, including DNA checks. Silab has an entire floor dedicated to
quality control and testing of raw materials used before they are used in the production of ingredients.
“We need to be sure we have got what we
ordered and we want the good part of the plants – flowers if flowers, roots if roots,” says Closs-Gonthier. “Ten years ago we accepted only half the
batches. Now it is around 75% because we do more analysis prior to ordering, as well having partnerships with producers to define the optimal horticulture.” Closs-Gonthier admits to Silab having
had challenges with the sourcing of certain botanicals. Climate change and the resultant higher temperatures means Silab is not always capable of procuring adequate quantities of sufficient quality. Silab typically stores enough raw material
for two years - two harvests – of production but it is looking closer to home to source some of its requirements. As part of its Mastering Natural programme,
the company has recently bought six hectares of land close to its facilities to grow and study
www.personalcaremagazine.com
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