GEKA Centralises Mascara Packaging Innovation at 22,000m² Campus
The Bechhofen facility integrates design, testing, and production for nearly 180 global beauty brands, including L'Oréal and LVMH, aiming to accelerate product launches.
GEKA Centralizes Packaging Development in Germany
GEKA, a German manufacturer specializing in mascara brushes and makeup applicators, has centralized its innovation and production capabilities at its 22,000 m² Bechhofen campus in Germany. This site functions as a comprehensive center, bringing together design, industrialization, testing, and manufacturing under one roof.
The company, now part of medmix's beauty division, supports nearly 180 brands, from large corporations like L'Oréal, LVMH, and Coty to emerging independent labels. GEKA holds approximately 190 active patents and offers over 4,000 brush and applicator designs.
Stefanie Gunz, Head of Global Marketing & Communications at GEKA, states that mascara packaging involves five key components—bottle, cap, stem, wiper, and brush—which must perform harmoniously with the formula.
Integrated Capabilities and Global Validation
The Bechhofen campus houses all critical functions for developing and manufacturing eye and lip makeup packaging. These capabilities include plastic injection molding, injection blow molding, brush production, assembly, decoration, metallization, filling, and laser printing, alongside its patented Shadow Printing technology.
The facility also features an in-house laboratory, a dedicated testing center for injection molding, and the Competence Center for Application Solutions (CCAS). Within the CCAS, teams perform compatibility, stability, and performance tests to validate new products before they enter industrial production.
This validation process extends to various climates and regional preferences through a testing network that includes the United States, Brazil, and China.
Flexible Manufacturing and Precision Engineering
GEKA's Bechhofen site is designed for industrial flexibility, accommodating both large-volume orders and smaller production runs. The factory operates three shifts, six days a week, utilizing approximately 80 injection molding machines and 30 injection blow molding machines. Operations are structured to maximize equipment use and minimize setup times and production costs.
An example of this efficiency is the robotic storage system for standard components, which allows quick starts for small batches without tying up machine capacity. Automation is also present in assembly lines, where RFID-enabled conveyors identify products and select manufacturing programs, thereby reducing changeover times and enhancing production efficiency.
GEKA also performs specialized tasks in-house, such as manufacturing its hot-stamping tools and using industrial computed tomography scanning for precise component verification.
Co-creation for Asia's Beauty Brands
Beyond its portfolio of over 10,000 standard packaging combinations, GEKA collaborates with brands on custom developments through its Mascara Workshop in Bechhofen. During these sessions, GEKA teams work with clients to define mascara parameters, including brush selection, formula viscosity, packaging design, and performance targets.
Concepts are then validated through application testing and technical recommendations. Jennifer Dean, Head of Beauty Business Unit at medmix, explains that this co-creation model helps brands build credible product claims from early development stages, adapting solutions for different climates, ethnic needs, and consumer preferences.
For Asian beauty brands, particularly the rapidly growing direct-to-consumer (DTC) labels, this integrated approach offers a significant advantage. It allows them to quickly develop and validate highly customized mascara products that meet specific regional demands and consumer trends, ensuring product performance and market readiness.
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