Takasago International Corporation, the Japanese fragrance and flavor maker, has opened a Creative Centre in Dubai, giving it laboratories in the city to develop scents for customers across the Middle East.
The facility includes a fragrance application lab, a fragrance compounding lab and an analytical lab, the company said in a statement. The state news agency WAM reported the opening on Wednesday.
Dubai Science Park, a TECOM Group business community that works with life sciences companies, welcomed the opening.
Takasago did not disclose the cost of the facility or how many people it will employ.
“The Middle East is no longer simply one of the fastest-growing fragrance markets in the world. It has become one of perfumery’s most powerful creative forces,” said Bassel Kouchacji, Takasago’s managing director for fragrance in the Middle East.
Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi, senior vice president of Dubai Science Park, said the opening reflected Dubai’s position as a hub for business and innovation and was in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda, known as D33.
Takasago, founded in Japan in 1920, operates through subsidiaries in 28 countries. It set up its Dubai presence in 2015.
The company said the Dubai center will work with its perfumers, evaluators and scientists in Paris and Japan.
The opening coincided with the Beautyworld Middle East trade show in Dubai, where Takasago presented 13 new fragrances.
