GEKA's Bavarian hub drives mascara packaging
GEKA's integrated Bechhofen facility combines design, engineering, and manufacturing to co-create mascara systems with brands, focusing on performance and
GEKA, a medmix company, operates a 22,000 m² campus in Bechhofen, Bavaria, dedicated to mascara and lip makeup packaging. The site integrates every capability from plastic molding and brush production to final assembly and decoration under one roof.
According to Stefanie Gunz, Head of Global Marketing & Communications at GEKA, mascara packaging is a system of five components that must work in harmony. Mascara packaging consists of five components, the bottle, the cap, the stem, the wiper, and, of course, the brush, that must work together in perfect harmony with the formula, she explains. Performance goals like volume or curl depend on this engineered interaction.
An integrated center of excellence
The Bechhofen hub houses plastic injection molding, injection blow molding, brush production, and decoration technologies like patented Shadow Printing. It also contains an in-house laboratory, a testing center for molding processes, and the Competence Center for Application Solutions (CCAS).
In the CCAS, teams validate new products through compatibility, stability, and performance testing. Validation protocols account for different climates and regional preferences using a testing network that spans the United States, Brazil, and China. This integrated approach aims to shorten development timelines and reduce industrial risk.
A factory built for co-creation
Industrial flexibility is a key strength. With around 80 injection molding and 30 injection blow molding machines running on three shifts, six days a week, the factory handles both large volumes and smaller runs. A robotic storage system for components enables rapid starts for small batches.
Automation is extensive. RFID-enabled conveyors on assembly lines automatically identify products and select the correct manufacturing program. The company also brings specialized capabilities in-house, like making its own hot-stamping tools and using industrial computed tomography for precise quality verification.
Beyond its portfolio of over 4,000 brush designs and 10,000 standard combinations, GEKA partners with brands on bespoke developments. This happens through its Mascara Workshop, where teams co-create with customers.
Driving innovation and sustainability
During Mascara Workshop sessions, GEKA works with brands to define key parameters-brush selection, formula viscosity, packaging design, and performance targets. Concepts are then validated through application testing and technical evaluations. Jennifer Dean, Head of the Beauty Business Unit at medmix, describes the process. "We work side by side with our customers to co-create the ideal mascara..." she said.
This model attracts direct-to-consumer brands with strong trend awareness but limited R&D resources. GEKA's marketing teams support them by monitoring signals from social media, trend agencies, makeup schools, and international markets.
The Bechhofen site is also central to sustainability efforts. It has operated with zero waste to landfill since 2025. Product innovations include brushes made with post-consumer recycled PET fibers, bottles and caps with recycled polypropylene, and the EOSgreen range of bio-based fibers. The proprietary Shadow Printing technology is promoted as a lower-emission alternative to conventional lacquering.
The company states it carefully verifies all environmental claims before communication. By concentrating expertise at Bechhofen, GEKA reinforces its role in a category where packaging is as critical to performance as the formula itself.
