Cosmetic Chemist, Founder & Formulator of Synergie Skin, and Author, Terri Vinson-Jones opens the doors on her Australian manufacturing premises – Synergie Lab – to Professional Beauty.
You have an incredible factory in Springvale – can you tell us why you chose this location?
“My Synergie lab and manufacturing facility began 15 years ago in a small rental space in a business park in Burwood, Melbourne. Within the first five years we outgrew this space and expanded to two side by side locations in Burwood…and after another three years we grew to acquiring a third space in the same business park.
We were just keeping up with demand so in 2019, I realised we needed to expand further, especially with the number of international distributors coming on board. We needed a facility to accommodate large-scale manufacturing, an extensive R&D lab, and I wanted my wonderful team members all under one roof for true vertical integration. I found my new Springvale site in 2019, but the 2020 pandemic delayed our plans to build the new lab and manufacturing space.
Fast forward to 2024 and after a few challenges, we finally made it happen this year. We’re proud to say our entire operation and Synergie family is now together again. We’re 100% Melbourne-made from R&D sample to finished product!”
How important is it to be Australian made and manufactured?
“It’s incredibly important to me. While it’s economically tempting to outsource offshore, I’m committed to supporting Australian families, Australian business, and our economy. And most importantly, having every element of my business in Melbourne means I have more control over the quality and purity of our products. I can just walk downstairs to any of my departments and ensure everything is up to our standards. I can communicate directly with my team to discuss my latest formula or our manufacturing processes, ensuring we adhere to our international standards of operations, including the ISO certification that we’ve maintained for several years. Supporting the local economy and maintaining high-quality standards are crucial for us.”
What are the benefits of producing onshore and having everything under the one roof?
“Having everything under one roof allows us to manage the entire process from initial product inception to pick-and-pack of orders. From new formulations to preparing R&D samples, conducting stability testing, scaling up final batch manufacturing, labeling, packaging, distribution, education, marketing, and sales – it’s all done at Synergie HQ. This makes our business extremely agile so I can develop a concept formula and have it on the shelves for our wonderful stockists within nine months, ready for consumers across Australia. Few Aussie companies do that and that makes me very proud.”
Tell us about the production side of the factory – how many products are manufactured there?
“We proudly manufacture over 120 products, including the Synergie Skin suite, all variants of our Synergie Minerals solar protective foundations, our medical only Synergie Practitioner range, and our professional use in-clinic range.”
Any other plans for expansion?
“We have made a massive business leap this year, launching into wellness market with SynTernals (‘Synergie for the Internals’ (I always love a good word morph). While Synergie Skin has always focused on external skin health for create inner confidence. SynTernals supplements focus on generating health and vitality from the inside out.
The wellness space is evolving, recognising that beauty isn’t just about appearance – it’s also about vitality that radiates from deep within. With my background in human immunology and microbiology, launching SynTernals was always simmering away inside. Our first product NRgize+ is a multi-level NAD booster and is set to be a game-changer in the wellness industry. So, watch this space for more exciting developments!”
This story originally appeared in the Winter 2024 print issue of Professional Beauty.
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