Jean-Yves Bourgeois, European Correspondent12.12.18
Last March, the Italian Company, Gotha Cosmetics, specializing in the design and manufacture of makeup products, moved to a new administrative and industrial site, a few blocks away from its former location. With 3,000 m² of offices and a production area of 12,000 m², it’s twice the size of the previous factory, the whole of it representing an investment of more than € 10 million. A rare piece of architecture and technology. The Company also took the opportunity to change its corporate image with a new logo.
Overview with Martin Breuer, CEO, Gotha Cosmetics.
Jean-Yves Bourgeois: 2018 is undoubtedly a turning point for Gotha Cosmetics!
Martin Breuer: A turning point, you are right! We could no longer operate in the previous site, which had become too small and too old. This new site will allow us to be much more efficient both administratively and productively speaking. Concerning the offices, every effort was made to make our employees feel at ease and to ensure that our customers are welcomed in optimal working conditions in four dedicated showrooms. The building was intentionally designed to provide lots of natural light and private working areas. As for the factory, with an ESP quality level, it is probably a perfect example of what is best in the field with a dedicated OTC area.
Much of the production equipment has been renewed. Don't forget that since 2005 we have set ourselves the goal of becoming a world reference in color cosmetics. This new site which we can be proud of today is the indisputable proof.
Bourgeois: The United States has more than ever become your No. 1 customer!
Breuer:: That's right, North America accounts for more than 50% of our sales. We actually have a team of five people working there to assist and support customers. But we also have one person based in Korea and two in Paris because we want to be as close as possible to our customers.
Bourgeois: What makes Gotha Cosmetics so specific?
Breuer: Our main assets remain innovation and the development of almost "custom designed" products. Don’t forget that about 20% of our workforce is directly involved in R&D. But what is important is to be really customer-focused. We have a 360° action, integrating the entire supply chain. Speed and flexibility are key components in the success of a project. We are able to develop a project in a very short timeframe to guarantee fast market launches.
Bourgeois: Your offer encompasses all makeup products?
Breuer: Our teams strive to combine long-standing know-how, a real passion, a tireless dedication and a lot of fantasy to transform the cosmetic dreams of our customers into reality!
We are capable of serving customers that require bulk-only, semi-turnkey, and full turnkey orders. Emulsions are an increasingly important part of our production, followed by lipsticks and powders. We have a network of qualified and extremely dedicated subcontractors with whom we progress each day a little more. In line with the evolution of the market, Full-Service has become an essential component of our offer (50%).
Bourgeois: What were the new products at the last MakeUp in NewYork?
Breuer: As always, we presented truly innovative products, recently developed in our laboratory. Like for example, new silicones that allow developing truly unique and surprising formulas with a never-seen-before skin feel. But the flagship of our collection will be our new technology called "Thermoshape," a technology that enables the creation of a personalized design on the surface of the product.