New R&D Lab Increases Capability and Capacity to Develop, Prototype, and Test Innovations Across Home Fragrance Categories
SOUTH DEERFIELD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 6, 2019-- The Newell Brands Home Fragrance Division, which Yankee Candle is a part of, today announced a significant expansion of its research and development (R&D) capabilities at a ceremony marking the opening of its new state of the art 20,300 sq. ft. R&D Lab in South Deerfield, Massachusetts. The new R&D lab will increase capability and capacity to develop, prototype, and test new innovations across the entire range of Yankee Candle, WoodWick and Chesapeake Bay Candle branded products. The new lab is nearly triple the size of the original R&D facility located in the Division’s factory in Whately, MA and allows for product development and testing in candles, as well as adjacent home fragrance and auto freshener categories, areas that the Division has been investing behind in recent years.
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“The opening of this beautiful new lab is the latest in a series of exciting company milestones that include our iconic Yankee Candle brand’s 50th anniversary and the launch of a new store concept for Yankee Candle,” said Rich Wuerthele, Division Chief Executive Officer, Newell Brands Home Fragrance. “We are laser focused on migrating from being a candle company to a leading home fragrance company. The new R&D lab represents an evolution from 50 years of mainly wax product development to a new range of capabilities supporting home fragrance product development and innovation. We are very excited about the possibilities the lab will unlock for us moving forward.”
“Our people talent, combined with the investment in this new facility and its expanded capabilities, enable us to have best-in-class Research and Development expertise to innovate, create, develop, and test our portfolio of home fragrance products,” said Daily Gist, Vice President, Research & Development, Newell Brands Home Fragrance. “As we expand our market leadership in candles and significantly increase penetration in the adjacent categories, it is vital that we have this capability in-house to meet and exceed consumer and customer needs, desires and expectations. Delivering fragrance is at the heart of what we do and this facility and the people who work here ensure we offer market-leading product performance across fast growing categories,” added Gist.
The preexisting R&D testing functions in the Division’s production facility in Whately, MA, were consolidated into the new lab, leaving more production space for other brands in the Home Fragrance portfolio such as Chesapeake Bay Candle, which was recently integrated into the facility from Maryland.
The project, which has been in the making since the fall of 2018, was completed in November 2019. The R&D function employs a team of 65 people – up from five R&D employees three years ago. The team includes highly skilled lab technicians, chemists, wax development specialists, product engineers, design engineers, and regulatory specialists. The Newell Brands Home Fragrance Division is one of the main employers in the western Massachusetts region with approximately 1,800 full-time employees across the state.
About The Yankee Candle Company, Inc.
Yankee Candle® is an American brand with a unique 50-year history of creating evocative, mood-setting and long-lasting fragrance for the home. The company offers a wide range of distinctive products, from the brand’s iconic candles to home & car air fresheners, gifts and more. The Yankee Candle Company, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Newell Brands Inc. and is sold through mass and specialty retailers, online and in Yankee Candle® retail stores. Outside of North America, the Company sells its products primarily through its subsidiary, Yankee Candle Company (Europe), Ltd., which has an international wholesale customer network.
About Newell Brands
Newell Brands (NASDAQ: NWL) is a leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Paper Mate®, Sharpie®, Dymo®, EXPO®, Parker®, Elmer’s®, Coleman®, Marmot®, Oster®, Sunbeam®, FoodSaver®, Mr. Coffee®, Rubbermaid Commercial Products®, Graco®, Baby Jogger®, NUK®, Calphalon®, Rubbermaid®, Contigo®, First Alert®, and Yankee Candle®. For hundreds of millions of consumers, Newell Brands makes life better every day, where they live, learn, work and play.
This press release and additional information about Newell Brands are available on the company’s website, www.newellbrands.com.
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Source: Newell Brands
Claire-Aude Staraci
Director, External Communications
+1 (201) 610-6717
claireaude.staraci@newellco.com
Aziree Pemberton
Manager, External Communications
+1 (201) 370-5708
aziree.pemberton@newellco.com
