This past April, AVEKA Cottage Grove celebrated a milestone with the successful first production run on our newly installed jet mill, marking a significant expansion into the cosmetic industry. The state-of-the-art jet mill can handle combustible dust and has been meticulously designed to process cosmetic-grade materials. This development comes as part of our ongoing commitment to safety and quality, meeting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines for “Current Good Manufacturing Practices” (cGMP).
Meeting New Challenges
AVEKA’s jet milling operations have been tailored primarily for industrial applications for over three decades. However, the request to process cosmetic materials—products intended for direct human use—brought new challenges. These challenges exceeded technical specifications, demanding compliance with strict regulatory guidelines designed to protect consumers from contamination and harm.
Our journey began with the design and build of the new jet mill. This process highlighted the critical role that design and manufacturing procedures play in ensuring compliance with cGMP guidelines. An example of this came when we were sourcing a product collector for the jet mill. To our surprise, the manufacturer would not certify their collector to our required design pressure, pushing us toward an off-the-shelf solution that would have dramatically increased costs. Instead, we decided to have an engineering firm certify our custom-designed collector, leading to significant cost savings and improved quality.
Investing in Infrastructure
Beyond the jet mill itself, our investment in the necessary infrastructure to support the new cosmetic suite was extensive. This included installing a new 110kW air compressor, an explosion-rated nuisance dust collector, and upgrading electrical systems, compressed air lines, ductwork, and production space. With these upgrades, AVEKA Cottage Grove is now well-equipped to handle cGMP-compliant production, offering our customers safe, high-quality processing for their cosmetic products.
Enhanced Control Systems
Our new jet mill is complemented by a modern, PLC-based control system—the first turn-key system implemented for AVEKA Cottage Grove. While we had previously upgraded controls for other projects, this system reflects our ongoing commitment to innovation and precision in manufacturing.
Exceeding Our Customer’s Expectations
The success of this project extends beyond equipment and compliance. It is built on a history of delivering consistent, high-quality results to our customers. A valued customer specifically sought us out to develop cGMP capabilities from the ground up, demonstrating their trust in our ability to innovate and collaborate.
After 18 months of planning, building, and testing, the most rewarding aspect of this journey was the positive feedback we received during the customer’s site visit for the production run. Their satisfaction is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and the strong partnership we’ve built along the way.
Looking Ahead
As we move forward, AVEKA Cottage Grove remains committed to pushing boundaries in the industries we serve. Our new cosmetic suite marks a significant step in our ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions for our customers, combining innovation with safety and quality to meet the ever-evolving demands of the market.