Carteret Mayor Daniel J. Reiman (second from left) recently welcomed COSMAX Chairman Kyung-Soo Lee (far left) in their first meeting since his South Korea-based company’s 2017 purchase of NuWorld Beauty, a cosmetics manufacturer headquartered in the borough since 1998. Also pictured: COSMAX Co-founder Sungsuk Suh; COSMAX USA CEO Byung Joo Lee; and Brian Chen, director of operations of URSB Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center. — Courtesy: Borough of Carteret
By Joshua Burd
A global cosmetics maker is expanding its operations in Carteret as part of a plan to overhaul its 139,000-square-foot plant just west of the New Jersey Turnpike.
According to borough officials, South Korea-based COSMAX recently completed a 9,000-square-foot renovation at 300 Milik St., following its 2017 acquisition of NuWorld Beauty and a subsequent name change. It’s now planning a second major expansion project that will increase the size of its plant by more than 25 percent and will look to enhance technology, increase production capacity and increase the number of jobs available to borough residents.
Carteret Mayor Daniel J. Reiman detailed the plan this week after welcoming COSMAX Chairman Kyung-Soo Lee for a tour of the borough, including the 1,650-seat URSB Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center and many of the sites that are currently under development.
“We were happy to see that COSMAX USA is expanding in Carteret and look forward to helping them build on the success they’re already experiencing operating in the borough,” Reiman said. “These are the first steps to make sure that happens. I was glad to spotlight to Chairman Lee downtown Washington Avenue with the construction of mixed-use properties and the development of our Arts District, the centerpiece of which is Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center.”
COSMAX, which specializes in innovative formulas and generates $3 billion in annual revenue through operations in 16 countries, serves clients including Victoria’s Secret and Macy’s, according to a news release. It’s now transitioning from a contract packaging base to the innovative cosmetics formulas for which it’s known worldwide.
“We’re starting to put the right machinery in place to do that because the forecast is that it’s catching on in the United States,” COSMAX Director Richard Kuohn said. “The chairman has aspirations to expand operations in New Jersey and Carteret continues to be an ideal location for that from a business and staffing standpoint. We’re happy that Mayor Reiman had the opportunity to meet with Chairman Lee and gain firsthand knowledge of how engaged we are in making our business a success in Carteret.”
COSMAX USA’s
Lee visited Feb. 8. alongside his wife, COSMAX Co-founder Sungsuk Suh, and their son, CEO Byung Joo “BJ” Lee.
