11.05.09
HBA GLOBAL EXPO THRIVES ON NEW ENERGY
Attendance was strong as buying crowd headed to Javits.
By Jamie Matusow, Editor
Attendance was up almost 5%—with a reported strong increase in buyers—for the 17th Annual HBA Global Expo, which took place September 15-17, 2009, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. New energy was noted by a number of suppliers, who also reported a high-level of buyers and excellent business results. Almost a quarter of the 16,266 enthusiastic attendees were first-time visitors. For the first time, admission to HBA included cross-registration with the colocated Spa & Resort/Medical & Aesthetics Expo.
HBA’s expo and conference kicked off with its largest keynote audience since the one Leonard Lauder addressed in 2002. Horst Rechelbacher, CEO of Intelligent Nutrients and founder of Aveda, spoke passionately about the naturals and organic market. He urged attendees to be authentic in their product development and bring truth to the consumer customer base.
Following his address, Lisa Price, founder of Carol’s Daughter, presented the first annual HBA Positively Beautiful Award to nine-time Grammy Award winner and actress, Mary J. Blige, known for her wide-reaching philanthropic efforts to help women feel better about themselves from both outside and within.
An extensive conference program, which ran throughout the three days, had been redesigned to include five conference tracks, with more than 45 sessions, covering private label, X-ceuticals, industry trends, green business and the core HBA conference of marketing and technical sessions.
A wide-ranging array of international suppliers filled the expansive show floor, providing handson access to thousands of new products and packaging components and materials including bottles, caps, labeling devices, delivery systems, sustainable options and more. Products and services included private label, contract manufacturing, prestige and mass market packaging components, delivery systems, design firms, raw material and ingredients suppliers.
Nailing It
Jim Slowey, vice president of sales and marketing at Arrowpak, said orders for nail polish bottles, an Arrowpak specialty, were strong, most likely due to an economy that prompts increased retail sales as more and more consumers opt to do their own manicures rather than indulge in the extra costs associated with a salon. He said new sizes and shapes become available all the time. Slowey said HBA is always a good show for him, and that “it was nice to see new, positive energy at Javits this year.” He added that he had also appreciated HBA’s extensive promotional outreach. In addition to nail polish packaging, Arrowpak offers solutions for a plethora of other beauty products.
Harman Plastic Industries of India was also doing a brisk business in nail polish bottles, caps, brushes, stainless steel balls and other related accessories. One female HBA attendee was especially delighted when she found the wood finish caps she’d been searching for.
Verla highlighted its unique filling designs. |
Colorful Cosmetics
Cosmetics, too, were in abundance at the show. Verla’s colorful booth setup focused on the company’s unique filling concepts and designs,including a colorful array of swirls and stripes that are suitable for lipglosses, hot pours and creams and lotions. What’s more, Verla builds its own filling equipment, which it says allows them to be competitive with the Asian market. Swan Cosmetics de México, too, claims economic advantages, even though the private label manufacturer is based outside the U.S. According to Joel Rosas of Swan, the current devaluation of the peso has allowed them to implement significant cost reduction due to the exchange rate, which they can in turn transfer to their end client. The manufacturer’s fixed costs remain in pesos, allowing them to have a wider margin to negotiate with suppliers and customers. The company’s new Trend collection features an organic, back-to-earth theme, an olive oil-based formula, wood pencils and cornstarch shrinkwrap.
Special Delivery
With consumers’ growing interest in dispensing— and evacuation—features, suppliers are pushing the innovation envelope to stay at least one step ahead.
At 3C Inc., its wide range of click pens proved popular with attendees. One of the pen’s many benefits is users’ ability to apply nail polish or nail treatment products automatically. Simply remove the cap, push the button and brush on your favorite nail polish color, with no waste or spills; it’s also ideal for travel or a quick touchup. Also showcased at 3C was Clearasil’s awardwinning application of the pen for its spot-on application directly onto blemishes. More than eight heads are now available for the pen.
C+N Packaging Inc.’s FirstClick flip-top closure adds cost-effectiveness to the dispensing feature with a one-piece mold. This patent-pending closure brings convenience to the consumer with easy, one-hand opening and improved dispensing of lotions and creams. A positive click when closing secures the contents. Unlike other pushbutton flip-top closures molded in two pieces, the FirstClick closure is molded in one piece and does not require assembly. It is suitable for a wide variety of applications, such as skin care and hair care.
Fusion Packaging showed off a brand new booth at HBA. (L-R): Jonathan Gross, Casey Allen and Derek Harvey. |
Yon Woo, partnering with The PKG Group always has some interesting airless components on hand. Among those we viewed at HBA were new square pots and five-layer airless pump tubes that use a photosensitive foil barrier to help prevent evaporation and allow total product evacuation.
One popular product at Garrett-Hewitt International was its compact with plastic grater. The innovative delivery system works well with mineral or traditional powder, and has been used for brands including Clinique, Arden and Smashbox, explained Jason Clarke. The compact elevates a mass-market product to masstige, Clarke noted.
Bottle and Tube Enhancement
At Kaufman Container, vice president of sales and marketing Jeffery Gross pointed out some of the company’s newest labeling techniques. “In addition to heat shrink, we now do heat sink with a steam application for a better, clearer look,” he said. Gross explained that it works even on unique shapes and conforms to the bottle better.
World Wide Packaging showed a number of innovative items from flexo printing to rollerballs. The flexo printing enables life-like images to appear on a round tube, with label-like graphics, but without the cost of a label–or the additional material.
Janis Swindlehurst and Terence Sweeney of Mega Pumps showed us several sizes—20- and 40ml—just added to its popular Micro line, often used for eye and wrinkle creams. Even the pump is plastic—no metal spring—so it’s all recyclable.
Jeffery Gross, Kaufman Container, describes the company’s latest techniques to Beauty Packaging’s Jay Gorga (L) and Jamie Matusow. |
HBA was the launch pad for MWV Beauty & Personal Care’s Mini Trigger Curve and Mini- Trigger Petite, which the company says bring enhanced ergonomics and performance to finished products such as hairsprays, gels, sunscreens and body care. Both sprayers are engineered with an expanded range of outputs and require much less effort to dispense than conventional fingertip sprayers. Moreover, both variants feature a new integrated button lock to prevent accidental product discharge for on-the-go portability.
Clariant Masterbatches introduced Enigma Fade Special Effects that enable designers to introduce color at the top of a polyethylene bottle and diminish it gradually until it disappears almost entirely near the bottom or in reverse, where the outer color is absent at the neck but fades in toward the base. According to Clariant, the effect is reminiscent of air brushing, but the color shift is accomplished entirely in the blowmolding process, so it can be dramatic and cost effective.
Extra Credit
Utility Printpack, Bloomfield, NJ, announced at HBA that PrintWeek India had awarded the company the title of Packaging Printer of the Year 2009, considered to be the “Oscar of the Print Industry.” The award is blind-judged by leading executives at companies including P&G and L’Oreal, based on strict credentials including company performance and reputation in the marketplace. More than 300 entries vied for the title this year.
Silipos launched a new product in its private label division—an innovative under-eye gel patch that it is mineral-oil free, reduces wrinkles and crow’s feet, diminishes dark circles and puffiness, and is reusable. While the eye patch is inspiring, Silipos earned my attention—and gratitude— when business development associate Tracey Hicks provided me with Silipos heel pads to help ease my poor, blistered, trade-show walking feet. Ahhh…thanks again Tracey!
