A S Harrison & Co – 95 Years Young
The founder – Arthur S Harrison
A S Harrison & Co was established in 1923 in Australia. The company has gone from strength to strength becoming a key player across many markets in the Australian landscape.
The Science of Beauty Magazine recently spoke with A S Harrison & Co Performance Ingredients General Manager, Tony Bianchini, to learn more.
How did the company begin?
A S Harrison & Co began in 1923 when Arthur Stanley Harrison, the founder, received some sample products from Dupont which lead to the specialised distribution of raw materials for the rubber industry. An office was established in Clarence Street Sydney and business began to flourish.
Since then this family business has expanded into the distribution, manufacturing and exporting of a wide range of specialised materials and, with the third generation of the Harrison family being active in the business today, they perpetuate the Company’s tradition of personal service, which has been the hallmark of The Harrison Group since its inception in 1923.
In the 95 years since A S Harrison & Co was formed, there has been a dramatic change in the ingredients used to formulate personal care products. Gone are the days when dangerous ingredients like lead, arsenic and mercury were commonly used in many day-to-day health and beauty products. Today there is a lot more knowledge and care taken to formulate products that are not only safe for our bodies but also safe for the environment. This is a common trend in the market and A S Harrison & Co proactively works with all suppliers to provide its customers with the leading-edge technology in all its key markets.
How has the company changed in this time?
The company has maintained its commitment to its customers and to providing quality ingredients across multiple Australian, New Zealand and South East Asian markets. From a single office in Sydney, there are now also offices in Auckland and Perth. For a family owned and controlled company to reach this height of success is no mean feat.
The company is now active in a range of markets including Personal Care, Nutraceuticals, Household and Food as well as Lubricant Additives, Fuel Additives, Water Treatment, Mining and Construction.
A S Harrison & Co recognises that quality management is not just a job for one person, but a culture that runs through an entire organisation. A S Harrison & Co has worked hard to maintain a quality management system accredited to ISO 9001 for well over a decade.
And we were one of the first distributors in Australia to gain the Environmental Management System (ISO 14001:2015) accreditation and by doing so you can feel confident dealing with us knowing that we are doing our best to identify, manage, monitor and control our environmental risks in a comprehensive fashion. The company also has a rigorous Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme that recognises that our company’s existence is not stand alone. It’s part of a bigger system of people, values, other organisations and nature. The social responsibility of our business is to give back to the world just as it gives to us.
You have the support of some of the world’s major Personal Care principals
A S Harrison & Co is now one of the leading distributors of personal care ingredients to the Australia and New Zealand market representing principals in a range of major markets. These long-standing relationships have given us access to leading-edge technology and allowed us to be at the forefront of market technology. Some examples are:
The Innospec development of sulphate free surfactants – Iselux® – puts A S Harrison & Co at the front of the growing consumer demand for product ingredients that were not only safer for them, but for the environment too.
The Lexgard® Series of alternative preservation ingredients allow for the creation of self-preserving or paraben free formulations to safeguard from microbial contamination.
The SustOleo™ range of palm-free emulsifiers and texturisers by Inolex is a series of new and innovative alternative ingredients for categories that are historically palm derived.
A S Harrison & Co has had the pleasure of partnering with CAC for over five years, supplying the market with fair trade Aloe Vera. CAC produces ingredients to the highest quality ethics and standards and they give back to the community in a programme designed to support the whole farming community. This aligns well with our corporate social responsibility commitment.
The A S Harrison & Co sales team is made up of technically savvy members
My team comprises highly talented individuals with solid technical qualifications and backed up by experience in a laboratory setting. Here at A S Harrison & Co we believe that we should offer more than just quality ingredients. Our team members should be able to offer technical support and back up and be able to help you with input to maximise your formulations.
We also believe that once the sale is made, the process doesn’t end there – this is why we have dedicated Customer Solutions Support personnel specifically for the Performance Ingredients portfolio – both here and in New Zealand.
A S Harrison & Co has been a committed foundation supporter of the ASCC – why have you supported the ASCC for so long?
A S Harrison & Co has been involved with the ASCC since its formation in 1968. We recognise that the ASCC forms an integral part of the Australian market’s landscape. It provides a central point of excellence for all companies and individuals within the industry. The support and back up they provide are invaluable, as well as offering a neutral, non-competitive environment in which we can network and share, to the betterment of all involved.
We endeavour to support the long-term partnership by having representation at both local and national Chapter level as well as supporting Chapter Industry Days and, of course, the annual national Conference.
Are you the Gold Sponsor for this year’s landmark 50th ASCC Conference?
A S Harrison & Co is extremely proud of its 95-year heritage in serving the Australian market and is pleased to announce our Gold Sponsorship of the upcoming ASCC Conference in May 2018 in Canberra.
As a company, we will be supporting the Conference again this year via sponsorship and exhibiting, as well as encouraging our principal suppliers to attend and present. We look forward to seeing everyone again at the Conference and be sure to visit us at Stand 20/21.
Australian Performance Ingredient team (l to r) Jeanette Padilla, Thari Mudalige, Aaron Lorch, Lyn Shields, Tony Bianchini, Margaux Bonnafous, Ravini Abeysekara