Production Sites

Saint Auban sur l’Ouvèze 

The Saint Auban sur l'Ouvèze site is the historical heart of the group and continues to be its main headquarters.

Bontoux's production activity dates back to more than 100 years ago in the Drôme region, famous for its lavender and lavandin, when aromatic substances were already being distilled from local plants. Originally limited to essential oils of Provençal products (lavender, lavandin, clary sage, mint, thyme, rosemary, etc.), the activity has been enriched and diversified to include a wide range of botanical ingredients of many origins (balms, gums, resins, mosses, seeds, roots, barks, aromatic plants, dried flowers, etc.) as well as other types of natural extracts: concretes, absolutes, resinoids, oleoresins, floral waters, codistillates, infusions, etc.

The production of aromatic ingredients

The Bontoux S.A. team has always been very science- and technology-oriented. Our wide-ranging expertise encompasses verything from the conception of new products to the design of the necessary production tools. With our know-how in processes that are as efficient as they are delicate, we offer an array of products ranging from the most traditional to the most modern.
The Saint Auban sur l'Ouvèze site is equipped to handle different distillation techniques for the production and purification of essential oils. Similarly, a variety of extraction technologies are used to obtain concretes, absolutes and resinoids.

One of Bontoux's most important strong points is its exceptional capacity to process botanical materials due to its location and operating surface :
- Large quantities of plants can be processed due to the site's distance from urban zones,
- The resulting biomass can be composted and reused by local producers of aromatic plants,
- The company maintains direct relations with the growers (in France and also in other countries through its production subsidiaries), thus ensuring its expertise and the traceability of its botanical ingredients at the source. This policy of close cooperation has made it possible to initiate a collaborative project called Claryssime®, certified by the PASS (Parfums Arômes Senteurs Saveurs) industry cluster, with a list of partners that includes growers' associations.

Our production teams are dedicated to offering consistent, stable natural products with well-controlled regulatory characteristics.
To implement this strategy, Bontoux has invested considerable resources in the techniques of secondary extraction and molecular distillation. These leading-edge processes, which require high-level technological expertise as well as a thorough knowledge of the products, have allowed us to develop lines of colorless extracts, MD products, products with one or more undesirable compounds eliminated, etc. One example is the Purecoeur® line, which offers technical and olfactory improvements on natural products.

Research and development: Keeping pace with market needs

Our corporate strategy focuses heavily on technical innovation, with strong emphasis on Research and Development, in terms of both resources and material investments, with the aim of offering our clients the best possible products. The Bontoux R&D team is fast-reacting and always in touch with the needs of the clientele. It has the capacity to take action very rapidly in response to all specific requests: technical and organoleptic quality, regulatory considerations, made-to-measure proprietary products, etc.

The Analysis and Quality Control Laboratory: All the latest high-performance equipment

The analysis and quality control lab is the proving ground for our expertise, nurtured by an ardent devotion to the understanding of natural products. Its extensive range of sophisticated equipment, managed by a team of analytical experts, has enabled Bontoux to play an active role in the definition of the AFNOR and ISO standards for most of our essential oils. Today the laboratory concentrates primarily on issues of consumer safety, in relation to pesticides, phthalates, allergens, etc