19cannabisbusinessinsights.comDECEMBER 2025CXO INSIGHTSCONTRACT MANUFACTURING: WHERE IDEA BECOMES REALITY When we talk about beauty products, makeup, and cosmetics, almost everyone thinks only about the brand and the famous name on the packaging. It is rare that behind the scenes, the journey of how the finished product came alive is mentioned. Manufacturing and contract manufacturing is sort of a mystery, and usually, it is not discussed or even mentioned anywhere even though they are the courter back players of the industry navigating innovation, formula integrity, compliance, brand relations, various timelines, manufacturing challenges, including supply chain, automation, skilled expertise and general labor, certifications, and quality audits. Contract manufacturers are equal partners with brands with a wide variety of expertise, often offering full service, from innovative formulations and on-site R&D services to premarket compliance and testing, sourcing, filling, full assembly, and turnkey services. The challenge is the middle name of contract manufacturing.They manage expectations, keeping them realistic and streamlined, often using a "magic wand" under impossible circumstances.They make ideas become reality step by step, often jumping through hoops to meet those very close launch dates. To manage this process, true knowledge and expertise are needed, and most leaders become multitaskers. The best ones are very hands-on, bringing multifunctional experience and deep understanding, being able to provide quick solutions to any problem or challenge. What makes a contract manufacturer successful and how contract manufacturers successfully overcome challenges to ensure the end product is what the brand imagined: innovative, appealing, compliant and safe. · Contract manufacturers are often established as small family-owned facilities, and they usually have a quick growth pattern within a couple of years. · They are also one-stop shops providing a very easy experience for any brand to bring products to the market. · They are self-starters and entrepreneurs with outstanding intellectuals and initiative drives. They build the business with sweat and true hard work, handling everything on their own. They build and train their loyal team on the ground, assuring dedication from beginning to end. · Good contract manufacturers usually specialize in a specific product type, and they have very well-versed expertise in that area. This is because the beauty category involves a wide variety of products with very different formulation types, ingredients, filling procedures, testing, and packaging. · Cosmetic manufacturers had very limited guidelines and formal, regulated requirements until recently when MoCRA was approved, and it is expected to fill this gap very soon. Despite the lack of guidelines, most small contract manufacturing facilities thrive to improve and get better, especially as they grow. This is partially because they seek more sophisticated clients and because of entering products into international markets where proven, established standards are required.· They build their system department by department and establish procedures to make sure the products they create are not only innovative and unique but safe and tested. · Often, they will do it all under impossible circumstances, dealing with tight timelines, supply chain issues, and formulation challenges.... I'm sure this sounds familiar to anyone coming from a contract manufacturing background. · Continuity and dedication to every level of service will set a contract manufacturer apart from the growing competition. Believe it or not, word of mouth is still what drives many new clients to a specific contract manufacturer. Therefore, these old-fashioned values are continuing to be very important.The number one key to success is a great team.Most contract manufacturers have an amazing staff in place with outstanding initiative and pride to make it happen and find solutions to nearly any problem, making the impossible always possible. This great team works like a well-oiled machine, and because of the experience and By Beata Lawson, Sr. Director of Global Manufacturing, Quality & Regulatory Compliance, Performance Beauty GroupBeata Lawson
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