The France-based cosmetics giant L’Oreal plans to expand its factory in Yichang, Hubei province, into its largest cosmetics production base in Asia with an investment of Rmb200m.

Covering an area of more than 70,000 sq metres, the plant will be completed in early 2013, said Alexis Perakis-Valat, chief executive of L’Oreal China.

The Yichang facility makes skincare products for the Mininurse brand, as well as lipstick for the L’Oreal Paris, Maybelline and Yusai brands. These products are mainly destined for the domestic and Asian markets.

Yichang, situated about 250km west of Hubei’s capital Wuhan, is the gateway to the Three Gorges Dam area.