Shiseido America Inc. plans to build a 53,000-square-foot expansion for manufacturing and storage at its East Windsor facility.
By: Marisa Maldonado
EAST WINDSOR One of the township’s more prominent employers hopes to begin a $7 million expansion this summer, bringing additional manufacturing capabilities and about 30 jobs to its facilities, a company official said.
Shiseido America Inc., a skincare and cosmetics company, plans to build a 53,000-square-foot expansion for manufacturing and storage on the front of its 88-acre property on Route 571. The company currently has about 140 full-time employees in its 165,000-square-foot building, plus an additional 120 temporary employees.
Shiseido now must have a developer’s agreement approved by the Township Council, which should be introduced at the council’s July 5 meeting, Mayor Janice Mironov said. Shiseido also must obtain building permits approved by the township.
Shiseido’s chief financial officer, Edward Houlihan, said the company hopes to break ground on the project between the third week of July and August.
"When we first acquired the site, we bought quite a bit of land," Mr. Houlihan said. "We’ve always planned to expand."
The expansion will give Shiseido the ability to manufacture fragrances, Mr. Houlihan, which includes any cosmetic or skincare product with an alcohol base. Mr. Houlihan estimated that the expansion could bring between $5 million and $15 million in sales to the company.
Shiseido, which currently uses the plant to fill containers, also would save money on shipping fragrances to the plant from an outside manufacturer.
"If I’m using a third party, they have to add their overhead and their own profits," Mr. Houlihan said. "It’ll be a lot cheaper for us to make it ourselves."
Shiseido, a Japanese firm, came to East Windsor in 1998. Mayor Mironov said the desire of Shiseido, which she called a "great corporate citizen," to expand shows a positive outlook for the future of business in the township.
"All of the various studies reflect that positive business growth is most affected by retaining and growing existing business," Mayor Mironov said. "It’s also a very positive signal that Shiseido is pleased with their choice of location in East Windsor, and that they have a commitment to stay and grow in the township."