Contract Manufacturing - Frequently Asked Questions
The following addresses questions from clients who hold their own developed and tested formulations and are seeking a UK GMP-certified manufacturer to produce finished product to their specifications - including brands transitioning from another manufacturer, those bringing an in-house formulation to commercial scale, and those requiring confidential manufacturing partnerships.
Q: What does Hera Beauty's contract manufacturing service cover?
Hera Beauty's contract manufacturing service encompasses the full production workflow for client-supplied formulations: raw material procurement and goods-in inspection, batch manufacture to specification, filling, packaging, labelling, QC release, and outbound logistics. The service is intended for clients with a formulation that has already been developed and tested - Hera Beauty's role is to manufacture that formulation at commercial scale to the client's quality and specification requirements.
Q: Can Hera Beauty manufacture formulations developed by our own technical team?
Yes. If you hold a validated formulation with a completed technical data package, Hera Beauty's team will review it for process compatibility with the facility's equipment and manufacturing parameters. Where the formulation is compatible, a manufacturing specification will be established and production can be scheduled. Where process adaptation is required, this will be discussed with your technical team before production commences.
Q: Is confidentiality maintained for client formulations?
Confidentiality is treated as a fundamental requirement of the contract manufacturing relationship. Hera Beauty handles all projects in confidence as standard, and Non-Disclosure
Agreements are available and routinely executed at the client's request. Formulation data, production records, and client identity are not disclosed to third parties.
Q: What quality standards does Hera Beauty's manufacturing facility operate to?
Hera Beauty's Peterborough manufacturing facility is GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certified, operating in compliance with ISO 22716 - the internationally recognised standard for cosmetics GMP. This certification underpins all production activities regardless of whether the project is a client-supplied formulation or an in-house development. Full quality documentation, including batch manufacturing records, is maintained for all production runs.
Q: What regulatory compliance support is available?
Hera Beauty's in-house technical, QC, and regulatory team ensures that all manufacturing activities are compliant with UK Cosmetics Regulation (retained from EU Regulation EC No 1223/2009) and EU Regulation where applicable. For contract manufacturing clients, the team can advise on UK SCPN and EU CPNP notification requirements, labelling compliance, and product specifications as required.
Q: What production volumes can Hera Beauty accommodate?
The facility's production infrastructure - with vessels from 5L to 1,000L and filling lines capable of producing in excess of 20,000 units per day - accommodates contract manufacturing requirements from volume trials through to full commercial scale. Both start-up brands and multinational organisations with established production programmes are within scope.
Q: What product categories can be contract manufactured?
Hera Beauty specialises in natural skincare, cosmetics, and personal care formulations, including emulsions, gels, washes, oils, serums, balms, and wax-based products. The facility is equipped with jacketed emulsification vessels, a vacuum vessel for complex formulations, wax melters and hot-fill equipment, and tube-filling capability. If you are uncertain whether your formulation type falls within scope, the technical team will assess compatibility upon receipt of the product data sheet.
Q: How is the contract manufacturing process managed?
Each contract manufacturing client is assigned a dedicated account manager who oversees the project from initial brief and specification review through to delivery of finished product. This account manager coordinates across Hera Beauty's technical, production, QC, and logistics teams on your behalf, providing regular progress updates and flagging any supply chain or scheduling developments that may affect your programme.
Q: What documentation is provided upon completion of production?
Standard batch documentation includes the batch manufacturing record, in-process and finished product QC results, certificate of conformity, and goods-in inspection records for raw materials. Additional documentation requirements - including specific analytical certificates, traceability records, or third-party audit documentation - can be discussed and agreed at project initiation.
Q: Can Hera Beauty accommodate ongoing repeat production programmes?
Yes. Contract manufacturing relationships at Hera Beauty are structured to support both one-time production runs and ongoing repeat programmes. For clients with predictable volume requirements, production scheduling can be agreed on a forward-planning basis to support supply chain continuity and raw material lead-time management.
