0
A panoramic view of the Cosmecca Korea factory located in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province. / Reporter Lee Chang-yeon

Entering the cosmetics manufacturing plant, equipment blending raw materials and automated machinery transporting containers came into view. Products moved ceaselessly along conveyor belts, while workers inspected quality conditions at every step of the process. It was a scene illustrating the journey familiar cosmetics undergo before reaching store shelves.

Ahead of the 2026 Osong Cosmetics & Beauty Expo scheduled for October 22 to 24, visits were made on the 14th to two cosmetics manufacturing companies in North Chungcheong Province: Cosmecca Korea in Eumseong County and HP&C in Osong-eup, Cheongju. On the production floors of both companies, the role of manufacturing underpinning the growth of K-beauty was clearly evident. Behind the glamorous brands and products lay a complex journey spanning formulation development, production, and quality control.

Cosmecca Korea is an original design manufacturing (ODM) cosmetics company that develops and produces skincare and color cosmetics. It develops formulations tailored to the product specifications desired by client brands and oversees production. The variety of products it manufactures annually reaches around 12,000 types. As products vary widely depending on skin types, textures, formulations, and ingredient combinations, the production floor requires technology capable of managing diverse conditions.

		0
An official explains an AI-powered cosmetics manufacturing process at the Cosmecca Korea factory in Eumseong County, North Chungcheong Province, on the 14th. / Reporter Lee Chang-yeon

Lim Young-joon, director of the DX Innovation Business Division at Cosmecca Korea, said, "We are analyzing approximately 200,000 cases of formulation data with artificial intelligence (AI) to improve product development and manufacturing processes." He added, "We have introduced Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to the production floor to collect process data and manage equipment conditions." Automating repetitive tasks and expanding the use of robotics are also efforts to boost production efficiency.

Cosmecca Korea is pursuing the digital transformation of its manufacturing processes spanning from raw material blending to filling and packaging. In cosmetics, product quality can vary based on subtle differences in ingredient formulation, temperature, and mixing time. Consistent quality must be maintained across all items even during mass production. Particularly in a high-mix production environment, leveraging past formulation and manufacturing data to minimize process anomalies is essential. This is why a manufacturer's competitiveness does not hinge solely on the scale of its facilities.

		0
A view inside the manufacturing facility at the HP&C Osong plant in North Chungcheong Province. / Reporter Lee Chang-yeon

At the HP&C production site in Osong, quality control stood out. The company manufactures cosmetics and pharmaceutical-related products, applying its quality control expertise from the pharmaceutical sector to cosmetics production. The plant is equipped with purified water preparation systems and pharmaceutical-grade HVAC systems to manage the manufacturing environment. The company focuses heavily on verifying the conditions of raw materials and finished products during the production process and adhering to control standards for each stage. It is also raising the ratio of production automation to secure operational efficiency and quality consistency.

HP&C is also expanding its business in the dermacosmetics sector, which focuses on skincare. The move stems from the judgment that raw material selection, formulation design, and management across production stages are vital, given that products are applied directly to the skin. By operating separate cosmetics and pharmaceutical research laboratories, the company is concurrently strengthening its capabilities in material and formulation development as well as quality control.

		0
Kim Hong-sook, CEO of HP&C. / Reporter Lee Chang-yeon

Kim Hong-sook, CEO of HP&C, said, "Drawing on our experience running diverse businesses ranging from distribution to medical devices and pharmaceuticals, we have established Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facilities and robust quality control capabilities." She added, "As quality-related documentation and standards required to enter overseas markets grow increasingly stringent, we are actively responding based on the technical prowess and specialized workforce secured by operating both cosmetics and pharmaceutical research laboratories."

While Cosmecca Korea in Eumseong is leveraging AI and automation to enhance the efficiency of high-mix production, HP&C in Osong is grafting its manufacturing and quality control expertise built up in pharmaceuticals onto cosmetics. Although their manufacturing methodologies differ, both share the commonality of relying on technology and quality as the foundation of their competitiveness. As product turnover cycles shorten with fast-moving trends and consumer tastes become more fragmented, the orders manufacturers must fulfill are growing equally diverse.

North Chungcheong Province is nurturing its cosmetics industry on the back of this solid manufacturing base. The province hosts 225 cosmetics manufacturing companies, accounting for roughly 5.4% of the national total. The sector employs 10,764 workers, and its cosmetics exports stand at $357 million, ranking fourth nationwide. Osong is also home to a well-established bio and healthcare industry cluster. The ability to link research and development, manufacturing, and quality control infrastructure to enhance the added value of the cosmetics sector is considered a key regional strength.

The Osong Cosmetics & Beauty Expo is likewise an event designed to support local companies in expanding their export channels. This year's expo features 250 participating companies, with 200 overseas buyers from 39 countries invited in advance. Its primary goal is connecting domestic enterprises with global distribution and procurement officials through exhibitions and business consultations.

North Chungcheong Province is also envisioning plans to link the cosmetics industry with tourism. North Chungcheong Governor Shin Yong-han presented a vision to connect the cosmetics sector with local tourism so that visitors can experience both industrial sites and regional attractions. The plan seeks to promote the local cosmetics industry and expand tourism demand through facility tours and hands-on experience programs.

Governor Shin said, "While North Chungcheong Province possesses industrial foundations in semiconductors, bio, and secondary batteries, it faces limitations as a mere production base." He noted, "We will link bio-healthcare with K-beauty and expand the development of high-functionality cosmetics and novel materials through R&D to boost industrial competitiveness." He added, "I want to transform cosmetics manufacturing facilities into spaces where people can experience the technology and history of K-beauty, rather than treating them as mere factories. By styling them like giant galleries or campuses, I hope to create a 'K-beauty pilgrimage route' that draws foreign tourists directly."

		0
Visitors at the 2025 Osong Cosmetics & Beauty Expo held last year. / North Chungcheong Province

                                                                                                          Lee Chang-yeon