Our History
We were founded in 1988 by a visionary entrepreneur with a passion for skin care. We've grown to have a global client base, over 350 employees, and recognition as a Top 10 US CDMO. We are passionate about creating the highest-quality products and helping our clients improve the lives of their customers.
Formation
“I thought I was starting a simple business with a strong marketing focus, which was my background. Little did I know that necessity would soon force me to learn formulating, manufacturing, accounting, banking, FDA regulations, and much more.”
BILL KLING
FOUNDER AND CHIEF IDEA OFFICER
Our story started 30 years ago with a crazy idea in Switzerland. We were founded by Bill Kling, an ad agency executive with an expertise in skincare and a penchant for research and development. Bill heard rumors of this totally radical product called Eutra Creme, which was a product made for cow udders, but people were going crazy about it as a skin lotion. Bill moved to Switzerland to figure it out, eventually securing the rights to distribute the new moisturizer in the US.
Growth of a Brand
Bill formed Swiss-American to manufacture and distribute Eutra Creme, and the company soon launched their own in-house R&D and manufacturing, where Eutra Creme evolved into Elta Creme Elta Creme evolved into the Elta Brand franchise over the next 15 years.
“We just kept trying. Several times along the way, we just kept trying. We'd make a new outstanding product, and find a new way forward.”
BILL KLING
FOUNDER AND CHIEF IDEA OFFICER
Strategic Transitions
After marketing more than 30 products under the Elta Brand, the company launched EltaMD® in 2007 as a physician-dispensed brand of sun care and skin care products. EltaMD® has since grown into the number one physician-dispensed sun care brand in the world. At the same time, Swiss-American began offering services as a contract developer & manufacturer (CDMO), allowing other brands to tap into the spirit of success that powered EltaMD®.
Focus on the Future
“We believe that advanced topical technologies should be available to everyone - we see a future of innovative topical medical technologies in wound, skin, sun and eye care products that are affordable and accessible to all global consumers.”
Komel V. Grover
PRESIDENT, SWISS-AMERICAN CDMO
In 2018, the EltaMD® brand was purchased by Colgate-Palmolive®. Swiss American CDMO continues to manufacture EltaMD® and has since become the full-service CDMO of choice for many other leading brands.