Private label chemicals from India means that a manufacturer produces a chemical product and packs it under your brand, to a specification you agree. White label chemicals are usually the same idea, though the term sometimes means a standard product simply rebranded. Either way, you must settle four things before the first batch: who owns the formula, the minimum order, the label and who is liable.
For the range of products that can be relabelled, see private-label packing for specialty chemicals.
Whose formula is it?
There are two models. In the first, the manufacturer sells a product from its own catalogue and you only change the label. The formula belongs to the manufacturer, and nothing stops it selling the same product to others. In the second, you supply the formula or a performance specification, and the manufacturer makes it for you.
In the second model, protect your position in writing. Use a non-disclosure agreement, state who owns the formula and the process data, and say what the plant may not do with it. Our guide on making chemicals to your formula under NDA covers the points in more detail.
What are the minimums?
Minimum order quantity depends on batch size, the plant's reactor or blending capacity and the pack format. A blended product in a standard drum has a different minimum from a custom pack with your printed label. Read typical MOQ for chemicals for the reasons, and expect the first order to be treated as a trial.
Also ask about shelf life and storage, because a long production run to meet an MOQ is of no use if the product expires before you sell it.
If your volume is small, a plant may agree to a lower first order if you accept a standard pack, a short list of options and a longer lead time. Custom printing, special closures and new artwork each raise the practical minimum. Ask for the MOQ with and without custom packaging so you can see what each choice adds, and ask whether the plant will hold finished stock for you between call-offs.
Who is legally responsible for the label?
When a product is sold under your name, you are generally treated as the supplier in your market, even if someone else made it. That usually puts hazard classification, labelling, safety data sheet and any registration or notification duties on you. In the EU, for example, hazardous mixtures carry CLP labels and may require poison-centre notification; in other markets different rules apply.
The manufacturer can give you the data, but it cannot take over your legal duties. Check your obligations with the regulator or a compliance adviser in the destination country, and ask the manufacturer for the safety data sheet, hazard classification and test data you will need.
How do you keep quality under your brand?
- Write a specification with test methods and limits, and attach it to the purchase contract.
- Approve a pre-production sample and keep a counter-sample from it.
- Require a certificate of analysis for each batch, and have a lot tested independently before shipment.
- Agree what the plant does if a batch fails, including replacement and who pays for returns.
- Check packaging, labels and batch coding before the container is loaded.
Next step
We find manufacturers willing to make to your specification, audit them, check the labels and samples and supervise loading. To plan a private label range, book a free sourcing review.