International News

Oriflame Names First Charity Ambassador

Caroline Wozniacki is serving as Oriflame’s charity ambassador.

SWEDEN: Oriflame has tapped tennis ace Caroline Wozniacki to be its first charity ambassador. Oriflame’s charity work is an extension of its business philosophy, the company said. Oriflame provides an earning opportunity to millions of women. And when women earn money, 90% of them reinvest that money into their families, creating a positive socio-economic impact.

“Caroline personifies what our charity work stands for. As a young woman who has used the opportunities available to her to fulfill her dreams, she’s an inspiration to many,” said Magnus Brännström, CEO and president of Oriflame. “We’re delighted to welcome Caroline as our first charity ambassador, and look forward to working with her as our charitable work develops and touches more lives around the world.”

Wozniacki will support Oriflame’s charity mission globally, taking part in some awareness and fundraising activities, including visits to Oriflame’s local charity partners. She will also promote the Oriflame charity bracelet.

Wozniacki visited the Educational Volunteer Foundation in Istanbul and held a short tennis lesson for the children there.



Sally Beauty Expands International Footprint
NETHERLANDS: Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. has acquired Kappersservice Floral B.V. and two related companies, Hair Zone B.V. and Exphair B.V., collectively known as the Floral Group. The acquisition is consistent with Sally Beauty Holdings’ international growth strategy and significantly increases the company’s presence in Europe, according to the company.

“The acquisition of Floral Group is another important step in expanding our international footprint,” said Gary Winterhalter, CEO of Sally Beauty Holdings. “We believe Floral Group is an exceptional addition to our business. It is the largest professional beauty supply group in the Netherlands and brings us an outstanding format to broaden our reach in serving both the professional and retail customers in Europe. This acquisition is highly complementary with our existing Belgium based Pro Duo business.”

The Floral Group is headquartered in Eindhoven, Netherlands and had its start more than 60 years ago. The companies operate three concepts in the beauty industry and serve the professional and retail consumer through 19 stores and 33 direct sales consultants. Total revenues for Floral Group were approximately €22 million for the past 12 months, according to Sally Beauty.



Walgreens Donates Personal Care Items to USO
GERMANY: Walgreens has donated nearly $400,000 worth of personal care items to the United Service Organizations (USO) to support operations in Landstuhl, Germany. The organization is focused on lifting the spirits of the nation’s wounded warriors and their families. The donation includes first aid items, toiletries, diapers and baby bottles, as well as coloring books, gum and playing cards. The donation was shipped in late October and was set to arrive in time for Veterans Day on Nov. 11.

“We’re sending these necessities and well wishes to American troops and families overseas as a way to say ‘thank you’ for all that they do,” said Walgreens community affairs director John Gremer. “These items are products many need and use and we hope they’ll help make life a little easier.”

“USO Europe is honored to serve our nation’s service members as they deploy as well as welcome them home from combat zones,” said Walt Murren, regional VP of USO Europe. “This generous donation from Walgreens will further our mission of supporting our nation’s wounded warriors and bringing a touch of home to those who sacrifice so much.”

Walgreens has a long history of supporting American troops and veterans, from providing a store in the Pentagon beginning in the 1940s to decades of donation and product drives, and extending company benefits to employees called to active service.


EU Court Rules on Pierre Fabre’s Internet Sales Case
PARIS: A ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) says Pierre Fabre Dermo-Cosmetique can block internet sales by some of its product distributors only if it can provide a legitimate reason.

The ruling countered a 2008 finding that Pierre Fabre’s ban on internet sales in its distribution agreements was anticompetitive. French judges had asked the CJEU for a clarification on the issue after a court adviser had said in March a ban on internet sales restricted competition.

Pierre Fabre Laboratories have been opposed to the sale of dermo-cosmetic products on the internet for many years. The company argued that only the physical presence of a qualified pharmacist guarantees consumers the quality of pharmaceutical and personalized advice that is tailored to meet their expectations of efficiency and safety. In addition, selling dermo-cosmetic products promotes their counterfeiting and deprives them of the cosmetovigilance monitoring completed by qualified pharmaceutical professionals, according to the company.

Following the injunction of the French Competition Board to allow its distributors to sell on the internet, Pierre Fabre Laboratoires took the case to the Court of Appeal in Paris in October 2008. The Court acknowledged the merits of the arguments raised by Pierre Fabre Laboratoires and suspended the injunction until further notice.

To decide on the merits, the Court of Appeal in Paris sought the opinion of the CJEU.

According to Pierre Fabre, in a judgment, the CJEU supported by and large the conclusions of its Advocate General, who had already ruled on the matter on March 3. Thus, it considers that a total ban on internet sales restricts competition on principle. It did point out, however, that under certain circumstances individual exemptions may be granted. It is now up to the Court of Appeal in Paris to decide whether Pierre Fabre Laboratories is entitled to benefit from it.

Pierre Fabre Laboratoires has taken note of the opinion of the European Union Court of Justice. They are satisfied that it opens the possibility of an individual exemption from a general principle. Since the start of the case, Pierre Fabre Laboratoires has stressed that dermo-cosmetic products are primarily health products, often integrated by dermatologists and pediatricians into the course of medical care, and as such they enjoy a special status that prevents their distribution on the internet.

The decision of the Court of Appeal should be released in the first half of 2012.



Gattefossé Opens Formulation Building

A look inside Gattefosse’s new formulation building in France.

FRANCE: Gattefossé has opened the Blanche Gattefossé Formulation Building in Saint Priest. The Blanche Gattefossé formulation building brings together all the apparatus and tools used by the company to demonstrate and illustrate the properties of its products.

The new Blanche Gattefossé Formulation Building houses the firm’s personal care applications laboratory and the pharmaceutical research laboratory and pharmaceutical applications laboratories.

“The opening of this new formulation building is proof of our commitment to provide our customers with ever more effective technical solutions that go beyond what other ingredient and excipient manufacturers usually aim for,” said Gattefossé’s CEO Jacques Moyrand. “We consider this a long-term investment, a hub for innovation, enabling our group to continue to forge ahead, in spite of the fragile economic environment.”

The building is named after “Blanche,” president of the company from 1950 to 1968 as a tribute to all the women who work at Gattefossé.


CPL Aromas Supports Schools in Sudan
SUDAN: Chris Pickthall and Abid Abbas of CPL Aromas joined Vincent Bolt of Catholic Overseas Development Agency (CAFOD) on a visit to inspect Sudanese schools that have recently received funding from a CAFOD initiative to improve the education of children in the community. They were shown the new facilities by Father Peter of the local parish who has become responsible for the new schools.

The Zagalona and Angola Basic schools in Karary in the Omdurman Province provide basic education to children from a variety of backgrounds whose families have limited resources and would otherwise not have the opportunity to attend school.



Ole Henriksen Goes South of the Border
MEXICO: California-based skin care brand Ole Henriksen has been selling its skin care range in Mexico since Oct. 21 at the first Sephora store in the country. Located in the Antara Fashion Hall in Miguel Hidalgo, the Mexico City location marks the expansion, with additional stores set to open in 2012.

“I truly love the spirit of the Mexican culture; therefore, it is a huge honor for me to launch my skin care range with Sephora in their new venture,” noted Ole Henriksen. “Best of all, I am afforded the opportunity to be at the grand opening, and meet all the wonderful people that are now part of the Ole Henriksen family.”



Naturex Acquires Burgundy Botanical Extracts
FRANCE: Naturex has acquired Burgundy Botanical Extracts, a French manufacturer and supplier of plant extracts for the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.

With 12 years of expertise in botanical extracts, combined with a knowledge of medicinal plants and
phytochemistry/biochemistry, Burgundy employs approximately 60 people at its two production sites based in France (Reyssouze-Department of Ain) and Spain (Palafolls) with significant capacity for extraction, purification and drying operations. The company’s sales are about €14 million or $19.2 million at current exchange rates.

“This acquisition fits perfectly with Naturex’s strategy for pursuing growth in its different markets. It is an excellent development opportunity in terms of both manufacturing capacity and commercial positioning,” commented Jacques Dikansky, Naturex’s chairman, CEO and founder. “With our successful track record in integrating companies and the promising potential for synergies and cross-selling from this merger, we are confident in our ability to generate sustainable profitable growth, creating value for our customers, employees and investors.”

In other news, Naturex has received the “Best Acquisition” award at the European Outsourcing Awards ceremony organized in Frankfurt as part of the CPhI trade show last week.

Naturex has been granted this prize for its successful integration of the Natraceutical ingredients division into its various business units, the company said.



Dutch Government Invests In Skin Comfort Consortium
NETHERLANDS: In order to stimulate innovation and employment, the Dutch central and provincial governments are investing in Skin Comfort, a project by a consortium consisting of Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Philips, TenCate and a number of other partners.

During the past few years, the Department of Dermatology of Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (RUNMC) has been developing a new method for detailed examination of skin using light. This method cannot only be used to determine whether skin is diseased or healthy, but also to visualize the effects of sliding on artificial turf or using an electric razor.

The collaboration between medical experts, technologists and entrepreneurs offers excellent perspectives for developing new products such as sport floors, artificial turf systems and depilation devices. The Dutch central government and the provinces of Overijssel and Gelderland have invested €3 million in the Skin Comfort project; the 11 partners in the consortium have contributed €4 million.

Philips, a major player in the consortium, makes use of test panels for the development of electric razors and depilation devices. Philips now intends to use the new method developed by RUNMC to measure skin irritation more accurately and objectively. During the development of an electric razor, it is essential that the device is tested as early as possible in the process, as this will lead to greater improvements. Drawing on the consortium’s knowledge and expertise, Philips will set out to find better measuring methods to achieve a cleaner shave without skin irritation.


Bluestar Silicones Opens Lab in Barcelona
SPAIN: Bluestar Silicones, a subsidiary of the Bluestar Group,is opening a new technical service laboratory at its Spanish facility in Santa Perpètua (Barcelona).

The laboratory will focus its activities on formulating and developing silicone products for the personal care industry.

“The opening of our new technical service laboratory is an important step and a strong message emphasizing the importance of our Spanish facility as the Centre of Excellence Personal Care for the Bluestar Group,” said Grégoire Amice, global market manager for personal care at Bluestar Silicones. “This demonstrates our long-term commitment to our customers and distributors in this industry.

The laboratory will also play a key role in further extending the Mirasil silicones portfolio for the cosmetic/personal care industry through proper coordination between all Bluestar R&D laboratories across the world, according to the company.


Christeyns, Brenntag Join Forces on Fatty Acid Esters
BELGIUM: The Christeyns Oleochemicals Division has forged an agreement with chemicals distributor Brenntag Specialties Europe to market Christeyns’ fatty acid esters in the European personal care and cosmetics sector.

Fatty acid esters are a new addition to Christeyns’ product portfolio. Christeyns’ Oleochemicals Division already plays a leading role in the development and production of oleochemicals in different physical forms such as powders, liquids, flakes, noodles and dispersions. After a year of extensive R&D and a €3 million factory investment, Christeyns has developed a specialty fatty acid portfolio under the brand name Besteris, and is also ready to offer customized ester formulae to the personal care and cosmetics market.

“Within the European Brenntag Specialties organization we found the ideal combination of impressive sales coverage and a high level of expertise, both technically and commercially,” said Steve Clicteur, sales manager, Christeyns Oleochemicals Division.

Michael Wilkop, Brenntag’s European marketing manager pharma and personal care, added “The cooperation in the field of specialty esters represents a significant complimentary addition to the product portfolio already successfully marketed by Brenntag Personal Care Europe. The mix of innovative products and customized solutions combined with a high level of customer service and market know-how is an excellent strategic fit. The technical understanding and capabilities of Christeyns and their sales and marketing expertise are strong assets when it comes to developing and promoting more specialized products. We are delighted about the opportunity to cooperate with such a customer-oriented and forward-thinking company.”

The fatty acid esters are produced in Christeyns’ production facility in Ghent, Belgium and will be available first half 2012.