Biz briefs 2/5

Published 12:00 am Sunday, February 5, 2017

Carolina Color, since its founding in December 1967, has strived to build a reputation as a customer-focused leader in the color concentrates industry. The company has been successful because of its laser-like focus on market segments and consistently designing highly valued, custom solutions, company leaders say.

“Carolina Color has invested nearly $10 million in plant upgrades and new equipment over the past eight years,” said CEO Matt Barr. “Our product development team has simultaneously done amazing work successfully launching several paradigm-shifting technologies. During this time, the company has also adjusted its business processes, streamlined operations and implemented a new ERP system all without losing the high-touch customer service which has been our hallmark for these 50 years.”

Carolina Color is perhaps best known for inventing two technologies — patented G2 and patent-pending G3. These two products have raised the research-and-development bar by proving the old adage that bigger is not always better, the company says.

The patented G2 technology, introduced in 2008, offers customers the highest-loaded combination of pigments and additives in the industry.

Until the introduction of G3 in 2015, the packaging industry had long considered liquid color the lowest-cost colorant technology. G3 has challenged liquid color’s dominant position by offering a solid pellet alternative that is less expensive and more environmentally friendly, the company says.

Carolina Color has more than 500 customers in six countries.

“Converters continue to be impressed by our solid track record of developing game-changing technologies,” said Barr. “The industry’s widespread adoption of G2 helped to more than double the size of our business over the last decade, and the early enthusiasm behind G3 leaves us very bullish concerning our future as we turn the corner towards our next 50 years.”

For more information, visit www.carolinacolor.com.

KANNAPOLIS — Ideal Health Biotechnology LLC has joined the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis to accelerate research and development of its dietary supplements made from natural, plant-based compounds.

Ideal has an antioxidant spray made from grape seed extract available in China. A second generation of the spray is in development. The company also is working on an algae mist and eye vitamin. The products are designed to help with digestion, eye disease and diabetes, particularly in the elderly.

Ideal Health is leasing office space on the third floor of the David H. Murdock Core Laboratory Building that is part of an existing laboratory suite.

Lei Wu, chief executive officer and co-founder of Ideal, and administrative assistant Maggie Li anticipate expansion of space and staff because of the demand from Chinese consumers for natural dietary supplements formulated and manufactured under stricter U.S. regulations.

Parent company Ideal Shanghai manufactures dietary supplements and other home health devices and products for Chinese markets. It has established distribution networks throughout China and exceeded $50 million in sales. Bill Wang, resident of Ideal Shanghai, visited the Research Campus last year and decided to locate the company’s first U.S. office and laboratory there.

“In China, our strength is in manufacturing and sales,” Wu said. “We do not have as many capabilities as far as developing new formulations and doing the testing like they have here. The NCRC is like a gold mine with scientists, scholars and equipment.”

Wu has met several scientists from the eight UNC system universities represented on the Research Campus. He said he is looking forward to working with them to develop their findings on everything from phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables to brain development and cancer biology into marketable products.

“The NCRC is a great place for our company to grow through research partnerships,” Wu said. “There are a lot of resources here for us, and we are grateful for the opportunity. If the NCRC wasn’t here, we wouldn’t be in the U.S.”

“Ideal brings to the NCRC the opportunity to marry the research our scientists are conducting with experts in product development and marketing,” said Mark Spitzer, vice president of operations for Castle & Cooke North Carolina and mission support for NCRC. “Ideal’s work reflects the campus’ mission and will build their business, support our scientists and, most importantly, bring nutritionally-based products to market that will help people live healthier lives.”