Carst & Walker, a leading supplier of speciality raw materials across multiple industries, has announced the opening of a new personal care laboratory in Pretoria, South Africa. This strategic investment strengthens the company’s position in the local cosmetics manufacturing and personal care industry while transforming its role from pure distributor to full-service “solutionator.”

The new facility represents a significant commitment to innovation, growth and support for the South African personal care industry. Designed as a technical hub, the laboratory will assist customers and Carst & Walker’s sales team with formulation development, product innovation, troubleshooting and factory support.

“Now, we not only offer raw material distribution, but we are also a ‘solutionator’ that can support customers in every way,” states Nadia Dixon, formulation product manager – consumer specialities at Carst & Walker.

This evolution aligns perfectly with the broader vision of the business in expanding its Consumer Division and capturing greater market share across the regions in which it operates.

Technical capabilities and service offerings

The laboratory is equipped to support research and development efforts across multiple categories, with primary focus areas including beauty care, home care and pharmaceuticals.

This complements Carst & Walker’s already robust consumer specialities portfolio, which spans home care, pharmaceuticals, hair care, skin care, colour cosmetics, and fragrances.

Key services offered by the new laboratory include:

• Formulation development and raw material recommendations.
• Concepts and trends exploration, creating innovative textures and helping customers launch products faster.
• Initial stability testing to guide formulation improvements.

With such a broad portfolio, our presence in Ireland and the UK extends beyond traditional supply chains as we provide tailored solutions, industry expertise, and reliable customer support for businesses looking to source high-quality ingredients and raw materials.

Benefits for local industry

South African cosmetics and personal care manufacturers stand to gain significant advantages from this local technical resource. With access to Carst & Walker’s global supplier partnerships, customers can leverage cutting-edge solutions and tailored innovations to meet diverse market needs without the delays associated with international consultation.

The industry has responded enthusiastically to the opening of the laboratory.

Customers are immensely excited to work with us, and there has been an influx of requests to support them in development and technical support,” Nadia adds. “Senior
and junior developers in the industry are keen to use the laboratory’s expertise for their product development initiatives.”

Technical mentorship programme

The personal care lab will facilitate enhanced technical collaboration through face-to-face customer interactions and online meetings with partner teams across the UK, Ireland, Australia, and East Africa. Plans are already underway to develop a specialised sensory team for further service expansion.

A legacy of expertise

This new laboratory builds on Carst & Walker’s established reputation as a solution-oriented distributor, specialising in high-quality raw materials. The company serves six main sectors including adhesives and coatings, agricultural chemicals, general chemicals, consumer specialities, food ingredients, and polymers.

With offices and warehousing facilities strategically located across South Africa, East Africa, West Africa, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia, Carst & Walker combines global reach with local expertise. Its technically trained staff offer consultation and solutions for formulations, sourcing niche ingredients and ensuring compliance with international and local regulations.

In the consumer specialities segment specifically, the company provides essential ingredients for home care products (including pine chemicals, thickeners, and surfactants). pharmaceuticals (excipients and APls), hair care, skin care, colour cosmetics, and fragrances etc.

The new personal care laboratory represents Carst & Walker’s commitment to deepening these capabilities, positioning the company as a leading supplier and innovation partner for South Africa’s growing personal care industry.

This article was written by Abby Vorster, editor of Pharmaceutical & Cosmetic Review. The original article can be viewed here.