Albéa sets a new milestone in the development of 3D cosmetic packaging solutions two years after including 3D printing technology in its services through a business partnership with start-up Erpro 3D Factory.
The company is now developing applications leveraging industry-leading HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing technology combined with the cosmetics production know-how of Erpro. As a result, the first generation of cosmetic parts, designed and produced to take advantage of the advanced capabilities of HP’s platform, are in the latest phases of the development. Albéa will launch the first products very soon.
“Leveraging the expertise of HP and Erpro allows us to drive 3D printing in cosmetics to the next level, the finer detail that the HP technology is able to deliver is sincerely speaking astonishing,” says Yann Crapet, 3D Project Manager of Albéa. “In doing so, we will offer our customers speed to market solutions paired with an unprecedented custom design both in small and large quantities.”
In the initial phase of this joint effort, Albéa, Erpro and HP Inc worked closely together to design and produce applications that meet the regulatory standards of the cosmetics industry while offering an unmatched level of quality, cost and reliability. In addition, the benefits of design have been critical to the development process, offering extreme detail and mass customization.
“As we’ve seen in consumer goods and other markets such as auto and healthcare, the mass production of 3D printed applications has the potential to truly disrupt industries,” said Virginia Palacios, Head of Multi Jet Fusion Solutions Management, HP Personalization and 3D Printing. “This breakthrough work with Albéa and Erpro opens up amazing possibilities for leading cosmetics brands around the world. The advanced capabilities enabled by Multi Jet Fusion enable incredibly detailed design, precision quality and best-in-class performance for parts like cosmetics brushes and more.”
As the end-user of the machine, Erpro enhanced and customized its manufacturing processes to support the industrial production of small pieces designed by Albéa.
3D printing technology continues to evolve rapidly beyond prototyping, offering flexible options for highly personalized mass production of final parts and opening up new perspectives for brands and manufacturers, especially in the cosmetic industry: “Today, this technology unlocks many manufacturing applications, with unprecedented accuracy and reliability," explains Quentin Bertucchi, R&D Process Engineer at Erpro Group. “We are now able to produce even larger quantities in a shorter time. Driving the industrialization in 3D printing forward with HP and Albéa and exploring all the possibilities of this technology is a thrilling experience”, adds Cyrille Vue, CEO Erpro.
