Cosmax Moves Beyond Manufacturing to AI and OBM

Cosmax, the world's top cosmetics ODM, is evolving from a manufacturer into an AI-powered service company built on beauty tech and OBM strategy. Searches for "Korea Skincare" now outnumber "French Skincare" ninefold.

■ 'Korea Skincare' Searches Nine Times Higher Than France's

The global beauty industry's paradigm is shifting at unprecedented speed. According to Google Trends, searches for "Korea Skincare" have surpassed those for "French Skincare" — long the benchmark in the beauty world — by roughly ninefold. As K-beauty's influence reaches new heights, attention is turning to how Cosmax, the world's top cosmetics ODM, is upgrading its technology base.

Last year, Cosmax's Korean unit alone supplied about 1.2 trillion won worth of export products to some 2,200 domestic and overseas clients, accounting for a quarter of the country's total cosmetics exports. Having established itself as a partner to the world's top brands, Cosmax is now moving beyond simple mass production, focusing on three pillars: open R&D innovation, diversified global supply chains, and AI-driven beauty tech.

■ Smart Color-Matching System Built Through AI Robotics Acquisition

The most notable shift is toward AI-based beauty tech. Cosmax acquired AI and robotics startup Artlab to build a smart AI color-matching system, laying the groundwork for hyper-personalized cosmetics that reflect real-time skin data and consumer preferences.

The company has also internalized more than 280 core technologies through collaboration with researchers at 23 universities worldwide, including Seoul National University and Harvard, creating synergy with its digital systems.

■ From Manufacturing to Comprehensive Service and OBM

Cosmax's overall management is also shifting from manufacturing-centered operations toward comprehensive service and OBM (Original Brand Manufacturing). Rather than remaining simply a production base for other brands, the company aims to lead the global beauty ecosystem with its own technology and AI platform.

Lee Kyung-soo, chairman of Cosmax Group, said speed is life, being global is survival, and the consumer is the revolution, adding that a service-oriented mindset — supplying what consumers want, fastest and at the optimal price — is the new standard for competitiveness.