End of an Era: KDC/One to Close 150-Year-Old Somerset Cosmetics Factory as Production Shifts to Scotland

Global beauty and personal care contract manufacturer KDC/One has confirmed plans to close its historic Swallowfield cosmetics plant in Wellington, Somerset, and relocate production to its facility in Irvine, Scotland. The move will bring to an end nearly 150 years of manufacturing at the Somerset site.

The company first announced its intention to shut the plant in November 2025, launching a formal consultation with employees and unions. Following the consultation process, KDC/One has now decided to proceed with the closure, with production expected to be transferred to the Scottish site in late 2026. The Swallowfield facility is one of Wellington’s largest employers, and local officials have described the decision as a significant blow to both the workforce and the wider community.

The closure reflects a broader trend of ongoing consolidation across the manufacturing sector, as suppliers seek to streamline operations, optimise capacity and manage rising costs. For contract manufacturers in the beauty industry, pressures such as higher energy prices, increased labour costs and tighter margins are driving efforts to concentrate production in fewer, more efficient locations.

Industry observers also note that many brand owners are reducing the number of manufacturing partners they work with, while placing greater emphasis on speed to market, sustainability and advanced manufacturing capabilities. For older sites, the cost of upgrading equipment and meeting evolving regulatory and environmental standards can be difficult to justify, making consolidation an increasingly common strategy.

While the shift is expected to strengthen KDC/One’s operational efficiency in the UK, it also highlights the challenges facing long-established regional manufacturing hubs. Analysts suggest the European cosmetics manufacturing landscape is gradually moving towards a model dominated by a smaller number of large, highly automated facilities, alongside niche producers focused on premium, small-batch or localised production.

For Wellington, the planned closure marks the end of a long industrial chapter. For the wider beauty supply chain, it is another clear sign that structural change and capacity rationalisation are reshaping the sector.