More than 50 new jobs have been created at a skincare products company in Suffolk which has taken production in-house with support from the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Growing Business Fund.

HBD Europe, the company behind the SBC (Simply Beautiful Collection) brand, has received £120,000 from the LEP fund towards the creation of a manufacturing plant on its site at Needham Market.

HBD was established in 1992 and has been a growing steadily ever since with SBC becoming one of Britain’s leading professional skincare brands, although production was previously out-sourced.

The company became aware of the opportunity for funding towards the cost of creating a manufacturing plant in 2015 when delegates attended a seminar in Aldeburgh presented by the Business Shapers organisation, which then worked with HBD on a business plan.

“It has taken two years but we have successfully been able to plan and build a manufacturing plant which includes mixing vessels, bottle filling lines and a laboratory, none of which we could have done without the funding we received, as well as the support from our Suffolk grant co-ordinator,” said an HBD spokesman.

“Since the plant has been up and running, we have manufactured 13 brand new skincare products, including two inspiring new collections, and there are more than 30 new products in the pipeline.

“We have employed over 50 additional staff throughout the company since the project began over two years ago, all of whom are in permanent positions and come from the surrounding villages and towns.”

Paul Mason, founder and managing director of HBD, said: “The growth of our SBC skincare collections in the UK, Europe and around the world is truly staggering. The company is growing at an unprecedented rate, which pays testament to the enthusiasm and dedication of the entire team.”

Chris Starkie, managing director of New Anglia LEP, added: “The success of SBC is a great example of how growth funding can benefit the economy of the East. Bringing production in-house has improved the company’s resilience as it continues to expand and provide new jobs for local people.”