L’Oréal Groupe this week commemorated a half-century of the beauty leader’s flagship makeup manufacturing facility in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

State and federal officials included Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Senator John Boozman, Senator Tom Cotton, Congressman Rick Crawford and Congressman French Hill.

‘Golden Anniversary’

The event marked a milestone in L’Oréal’s continued and expanding US business presence, following the recent completion of the company’s new North America Research & Innovation Center in Clark, New Jersey, earlier this year.

“Our golden anniversary in North Little Rock reflects our enduring legacy in Arkansas and continued investment in the US,” said David Greenberg, CEO of L’Oréal USA and president of the North America Zones. “L’Oréal has a unique way of putting down roots across our sites, embedding ourselves into the community and creating lasting, meaningful impact. We look forward to a bright future of growth and continued best-in-class performance to meet and exceed the evolving needs of the American beauty consumer.”

Officials say the North Little Rock site plays a pivotal role in the production of L’Oréal’s expansive Consumer Products portfolio, as it specializes in the production of mascara and liquid makeup products. Built in 1975, it was the original production site for Maybelline New York, which has grown to be among the top cosmetics brands in the world. Today, its demonstrated excellence in manufacturing and operations stretches across additional consumer brands including the company’s namesake brand, L’Oréal Paris, and its nail polish brand, Essie.

The campus stands as the highest volume color cosmetics manufacturing facility in L’Oréal’s global network of 36 plants, employing nearly 450 full-time workers. The plant is responsible for manufacturing a substantial portion of L’Oréal’s USA’s cosmetics product volume and, generally, cosmetics products across the US. Half of all mascaras sold in the country are, in fact, manufactured in the North Little Rock plant with the facility producing a reported eight of 10 of the best-selling eye franchises. Since its inception, the plant has more than doubled in size through seven major expansions, including adding its own distribution center. The plant has been fueled by over $230 million in L’Oréal capital investments since 2001 in response to increasing demand for the company’s color cosmetics in the United States and abroad.

L’Oréal Groupe operates 22 facilities in the US across 16 states, encompassing manufacturing, distribution, research and innovation, and administration, demonstrating the company’s more than 70-year commitment to the US market. The Groupe’s manufacturing expertise in the United States spans advanced skincare, haircare, and liquid makeup production, leveraging three additional manufacturing facilities in Franklin and Piscataway, New Jersey and Florence, Kentucky.