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Marking a 50-Year Milestone at Melville
Celebrating our past and inventing the future of beauty in Melville, New York
Company Feature, May 22, 2018
For many people, the 1960s was a decade known for its music, fashion and fads. For The Estée Lauder Companies, the 1960s marked a crucial period of growth, including international expansion and the launch of two major brands: Aramis and Clinique. To meet increased demand, the company scaled up its operations with three manufacturing sites, with the first opening in Melville, New York, in 1967.
ELC founder, Mrs. Estée Lauder, in Melville, New York in 1970
Situated 33 miles east of Manhattan, on a 16-acre tract of land adjacent to the Long Island Expressway, the Melville facility was designed as a very visible, “readable” form by Davis, Brody and Associates and architect Richard Dattner. The sleek, two-story structure with a white porcelain façade was cited for its architectural excellence. Architectural Forum Magazine called it a “White Streak Along the Open Road,” an appropriate description given the landscape at the time.
Beyond the plant’s critically acclaimed aesthetics, it was also recognized for its ingenuity on the inside, as it contained one of the most advanced packaging and materials handling systems in the industry. By design, the factory was two stories high so products could flow to packaging areas by gravity. It was built with flexibility in anticipation of optimistic growth projections, which materialized quickly. Within a few years, the building was easily expanded to nearly double its original size through a system of removable wall panels.
Leonard A. Lauder, Chairman Emeritus, in front of the Melville, New York facilities c.1970
Melville was certainly a Lauder-family affair. It was Leonard A. Lauder’s vision to create a modern, efficient factory on Long Island. He was instrumental in selecting the parcel of land, the architect and the plans, and he took it upon himself to get the property rezoned. Once the facility was built, Joseph Lauder spent considerable time onsite overseeing operations. It is said that no batch of Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv products was mixed unless he was there, as the formulas were tightly held secrets. Mrs. Estée Lauder was directly involved with product formulation, and no new products were released until she had personally tested them.
Joseph H. Lauder, co-founder of the company and Mrs. Estée Lauder's husband, pictured in 1980 with ELC's first-ever Technical Director, Vincent Basmajian, known as Mr. B
Throughout the years, Melville has been a wellspring of innovation and a source of pride for the company. The facility is home to a multidisciplinary team of scientists and inventors who enable ELC’s brands to benefit from the latest scientific breakthroughs. It houses some of the beauty industry’s most technologically advanced packaging and logistics systems. Melville’s environmentally efficient operations contribute zero waste to landfill, and include water-savings systems and a reduced carbon footprint through solar energy.
Visit Key Moments for more of the company's rich history and important milestones.
