PakLab
PakLab is a US contract manufacturer founded in 1987 that provides end-to-end formulation, manufacturing, and supply chain services for premium beauty, OTC, and household product brands across two facilities in California and Ohio.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersChino, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What PakLab does
PakLab, legally Universal Packaging Systems, Inc., is a US-based contract manufacturer founded in 1987 that provides end-to-end product design, formulation, manufacturing, and supply chain services to premium beauty, OTC, and household product brands. The company operates two manufacturing facilities — a 125,000 sq ft headquarters in Chino, California and a 70,000 sq ft facility in Batavia, Ohio — totaling more than 450,000 sq ft of combined manufacturing and warehousing space with 250M+ unit annual capacity, 28 compounding tanks (100–5,000 gallons), and 25+ filling lines capable of producing liquids, gels, emulsions, alcohols, hot pours, and packettes. Its technical stack includes in-house analytical and microbiological laboratories (HPLC, GC, FTIR, Neogen Rapid Micro), USP Grade purified water systems, and FDA-compliant, ISO 22716, cGMP, OTC, TGA, USDA Organic, RSPO, and GFCO-certified operations supporting 30+ customer audits per year.
The company makes money through project-based contract manufacturing engagements structured as toll-only, hybrid, or full turnkey relationships, with multi-year contracts, quote-based pricing, and minimum order quantities of 5,000–10,000 pieces depending on fill volume. Revenue streams span contract manufacturing services, R&D formula development and technical transfer (billed as part of turnkey engagements or standalone), and packette/sampling manufacturing. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales with East-to-West coast coverage, supported by the element⁴ skin science studio — an in-house design and product development brand — and a sustainability narrative anchored by exclusive licensing through the Amazonian Alliance, of which PakLab is a co-founder. Customer segments include hair care, skin care, oral care, body care, OTC (acne, SPF, pain relief), and laundry/home care brands, with a stated focus on prestige and emerging beauty brands.
PakLab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PakLab
- Legal name
- Universal Packaging Systems, Inc.
- Website
- https://paklab.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- PakLab is a US contract manufacturer founded in 1987 that provides end-to-end formulation, manufacturing, and supply chain services for premium beauty, OTC, and household product brands across two facilities in California and Ohio.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PakLab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Contract Manufacturing for Personal Care
- NAICS
- Packaging and Labeling Services (56191)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sampling & Travel-Size Packaging (Minis, Vials, Blisters) (IMALAJAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Custom Engineered Transit Packaging & Packaging Design Services (IMALAFAM), Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Packaging (GMP, Tamper-Evident, Cold-Chain Packs) (TLAIAGAI)
Keywords
Where PakLab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chino
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
PakLab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Contract Manufacturing Services: PakLab generates revenue through contract manufacturing for the Health & Beauty, OTC, and Household industries. They offer toll-only, hybrid, or full turnkey relationships. Turnkey services include design, R&D innovation, formulation, manufacturing, and packaging. They also offer technical transfer services for customer-developed formulations. Revenue is earned through production fees based on batch sizes and order quantities, with flexible engagement models.
- R&D and Design Services: PakLab provides R&D formula development, technical transfer, and design services through element•4 skin science studio, covering ideation, compliance evaluation, prototyping, testing, and execution. These are billed as part of the turnkey engagement or as standalone services.
- Packette and Sampling Services: PakLab provides promotional sampling solutions including flexible film manufacturing, packette filling, and promotional items for cosmetic, OTC, and household markets.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom Quote-Based Pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
PakLab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PakLab is a contract manufacturer providing end-to-end services for Health & Beauty, OTC, and Household brands, including R&D formulation, ingredient and packaging sourcing, scale-up, compounding, filling, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and supply chain management. Operating from two US facilities (Chino, CA and Batavia, OH) totaling 195,000+ sq ft, the company produces liquids, gels, emulsions, alcohols, hot pours, and packettes with capacity exceeding 250 million units annually. The element⁴ skin science studio sub-brand extends the offering into concept development, brand architecture, and graphic design under one roof.
Product overview
PakLab is a contract manufacturing company providing integrated manufacturing solutions for the Health & Beauty, OTC, and Household industries. The company operates through its core Contract Manufacturing service along with element•4 skin science studio for design and development, supported by R&D Formula Development, Technical Transfer, and Packettes & Sampling services. PakLab serves multiple product categories including Hair Care, Skin Care, Oral Care, Body Care, OTC Products, and Laundry/Home Care Products. Their manufacturing capabilities span liquids, gels, emulsions, alcohols, hot pours, and packettes with capacity exceeding 250 million units annually across facilities in California and Ohio.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- element•4 skin science studio: A design and product development studio providing concept development, brand architecture, formulation, packaging design, and graphic design services. element•4 creates innovative products from concept to scale-up manufacturing.
Products and services
- Contract Manufacturing Full-service contract manufacturing for OTC, cosmetic and household products including liquids, gels, emulsions, alcohols, hot pours, and packettes with supply chain management and packaging engineering.
- element⁴ skin science studio Design and development service offering concept development, brand architecture, and formulation seamlessly transitioned into scale-up manufacturing and filling under one roof.
- R&D Formula Development Research and development services for product ideation, regulatory evaluation, prototyping, testing and approvals for cosmetics, OTC and personal care products.
- Technical Transfer Technical transfer of customer-developed formulations including process description, analytical methods, and equipment details to ensure quality and composition preservation.
- Packettes & Sampling Manufacturing Flexible film procurement, packette filling, and promotional sampling solutions for cosmetic, OTC and household products with eco-friendly options.
Quantifiable outcome
- 250 million+ unit annual capacity across two facilities
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use PakLab
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
PakLab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
PakLab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Amazonian AlliancecorePakLab is a co-founder of the Amazonian Alliance, the first Private Reserve for Sustainable Development in the history of the Amazon and Brazil. PakLab has a license to market non-timber native rainforest raw materials for use in personal care products. Through this partnership, PakLab has helped build homes, schools, provided first aid kits, ambulances, water filtration and solar power systems, and jobs for members of 15 villages. Customers using PakLab's Amazonian ingredients can use the Non-Timbered graphic seal and benefit from sustainability certifications and exclusivity.
- The Brazilian Rainforest Conservation Company (EBCF)coreEBCF is the co-founder with PakLab of the Amazonian Alliance for the responsible management of the first Private Reserve for Sustainable Development in the Amazon and Brazil. The partnership aims to protect and conserve Amazon biodiversity, sustain development of local communities, and reduce CO2 emissions.
- element•4 skin science studiocoreelement•4 is an internal brand/studio of PakLab providing concept development, brand architecture and formulation, transitioning seamlessly into scale-up manufacturing. It was developed to position PakLab as a full turnkey company for medium and large companies seeking timeline savings, initial product development savings, and streamlined supply chain management. element•4 operates as a distinct service brand under the PakLab umbrella.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
PakLab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- HCT Group: Global full-service beauty packaging and manufacturing solutions provider serving prestige and mass brands with primary packaging, formulation, and filling—broader portfolio and international footprint than PakLab, but overlapping in beauty CM services.
Regional players
- Kolmar Korea: Leading Korean cosmetics ODM/CM with global manufacturing footprint and broad prestige and mass-market customer base—comparable service categories but Asia-centric and materially larger than PakLab.
- Cosmax: South Korea-headquartered global cosmetics and personal care ODM/CM serving multinational brand owners across Asia, North America, and Europe—comparable in capabilities but with substantially larger scale and a different primary geographic footprint than PakLab.
Direct peers
- Columbia Cosmetics Manufacturing: California-based specialty beauty CM with full-service formulation, filling, and packaging capabilities serving emerging and mid-market skincare, haircare, and personal care brands—comparable scale and service model to PakLab.
- Mana Products: New York-based prestige beauty contract manufacturer serving global brand owners with color cosmetics, skincare, and personal care—comparable end customers and product categories, though typically at a larger scale and more prestige-skewed than PakLab.
- Marianna Industries: Specialty beauty and personal care contract manufacturer offering formulation, filling, and packaging across multiple product categories—comparable mid-market CM operating model and customer segments to PakLab.
- Cosmetic Solutions: Florida-based specialty contract manufacturer offering turnkey product development and manufacturing for skincare, OTC, and personal care brands—directly comparable to PakLab in service scope, customer base, and FDA/ISO-certified operating model.
- McKenna Labs: California-based private-label and custom manufacturer specializing in skin care, hair care, and personal care with in-house R&D—directly comparable turnkey service offering and indie-to-mid-market customer profile to PakLab.
- CoValence Laboratories: Arizona-based specialty contract manufacturer focused on premium skincare, OTC, and cosmeceutical formulations with in-house R&D—comparable to PakLab's element⁴ design-to-manufacture turnkey model and prestige customer base.
- Elysee Scientific Cosmetics: Wisconsin-based private-label and contract manufacturer serving mid-market and prestige personal care brands with full formulation and filling services—comparable in size, capabilities, and end-market focus to PakLab.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PakLab social profiles
Digital presencePakLab compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance17 records
PakLab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PakLab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
PakLab subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
PakLab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PakLab M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PakLab
What does PakLab do?
PakLab is a contract manufacturer providing end-to-end services for Health & Beauty, OTC, and Household brands, including R&D formulation, ingredient and packaging sourcing, scale-up, compounding, filling, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and supply chain management. Operating from two US facilities (Chino, CA and Batavia, OH) totaling 195,000+ sq ft, the company produces liquids, gels, emulsions, alcohols, hot pours, and packettes with capacity exceeding 250 million units annually. The element⁴ skin science studio sub-brand extends the offering into concept development, brand architecture, and graphic design under one roof.
Is PakLab a public or private company?
PakLab is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was PakLab founded?
PakLab was founded in 1987. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is PakLab based?
PakLab is headquartered in Chino, United States, in the North America region.
How does PakLab make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Contract Manufacturing Services are the primary driver. The others are R&D and Design Services and packette and Sampling Services.
Who are PakLab's main competitors?
HCT Group is listed as a broad incumbent. Regional players are Kolmar Korea and Cosmax. Direct peers are Columbia Cosmetics Manufacturing, Mana Products, Marianna Industries, Cosmetic Solutions, McKenna Labs, CoValence Laboratories and Elysee Scientific Cosmetics.
Does PakLab have an API?
No public API is recorded for PakLab.
What industry is PakLab in?
PakLab's product category is Contract Manufacturing for Personal Care. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMALAJAL, Sampling & Travel-Size Packaging (Minis, Vials, Blisters), with a secondary code of IMALAFAM, Custom Engineered Transit Packaging & Packaging Design Services. Its NAICS code is 56191.