L'Oreal USA Announces Major Expansion Of Florence, Kentucky Plant

Governor Steve Beshear Presides Over Groundbreaking Ceremony

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Nov 15, 2012, 01:08 ET

NEW YORK, Nov. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- L'Oreal USA welcomed Governor Steve Beshear today at its Florence, Kentucky Manufacturing Plant at a groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion of the 560,000 square foot facility there. The proposed plant expansion will include renovations to the existing plant, new construction and the purchase of new equipment.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121002/MM85457LOGO )

Located at 7080 New Buffington Road, the plant currently employs over two hundred full-time workers who produce 165 million units of Garnier Fructis, L'Oreal Paris and Soft Sheen-Carson shampoo, conditioner, and styling products each year. The company estimates that the 110,000 square foot plant expansion will create more than 200 new jobs over the next three years.

"L'Oreal's business is growing globally and the expansion will enable us to meet increased consumer demand for the popular hair care brands we are producing in Kentucky," said Eric Wolff, Plant Manager. "The Florence plant is a center of manufacturing excellence for the L'Oreal Group and the decision to expand US production here will result in significant economic benefit for Kentuckians."

L'Oreal is committed to sustainable and responsible growth and has implemented numerous initiatives to reduce its C02 emissions, consumption of water and waste generation. Last year the Florence plant announced an innovative "Wall to Wall" component supply program which located its shampoo component supplier, Alpla, in the same factory where the Garnier Fructis shampoos and conditioners are produced. The initiative reduced environmental impacts including freight, CO₂ emissions, waste and costs. The plant has also implemented a vessel cleaning optimization program, called OptiCIP, which has reduced the amount of water used for vessel washing per unit of finished product by 43%. This program alone equates to an overall 18% reduction in total water consumption since 2005.

Since 2005, the Florence manufacturing plant has made significant improvements in its environmental performance and made the following reductions for 2011:

-2.4% reduction in GHGs - total tons of CO2, scope 1 & 2 (from 2005-2011)
-15.1% reduction of tons of transportable waste per finished product (from 2005-2011)
-32.1 % reduction in liters of water consumption per finished product (from 2005-2011)
-15.5% reduction in kilowatt-hours of energy consumption per finished product (from 2005-2011)

ProcessPlus is the architect and engineering firm that will design the project and the Miller Valentine Group will serve as construction manager. Construction is slated to begin in October 2012 and, once completed, the project will apply for U.S. Green Buildings LEED certification.

Kentucky Business Investment (KBI) has committed to a $5 million tax incentive through the Kentucky Economic Finance Development Authority (KEDFA) and another $800,000 tax incentive through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Ace (KEIA) in support of the plant expansion.

About L'Oreal USA
L'Oreal USA, headquartered in New York City, with 2011 sales of over $5.1 billion and 9,800 employees, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of L'Oreal SA, the world's leading beauty company. In addition to corporate headquarters in New York, L'Oreal USA has Research and Innovation, Manufacturing and Distribution facilities across seven states, including New Jersey, Kentucky, Arkansas, Illinois, Ohio, and Texas. Since 2001, L'Oreal has been measuring its impact on global warming and joined the Global Compact in 2003, reinforcing its commitment to climate change. The company has been recognized by Corporate Knights for being among the 100 most sustainable corporations in the world, by Climate Counts for its leadership in addressing climate change and is among the Top 500 Global Green Companies by Newsweek.

L'Oreal's impressive portfolio of brands includes Lancome, Giorgio Armani Beauty, Yves Saint Laurent Beaute, Viktor & Rolf, Diesel, Cacharel, Clarisonic, L'Oreal Paris, Garnier, Vichy, La Roche-Posay, L'Oreal Professionnel, Kerastase and Shu Uemura Art of Hair, Maybelline New York, Soft-Sheen.Carson, Kiehl's Since 1851, Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Essie Cosmetics, Redken 5th Avenue NYC, Matrix, Mizani, Pureology, SkinCeuticals and Dermablend. For more information visit www.lorealusa.com.

SOURCE L'Oreal USA