Passion is the very engine that keeps Trendcolor’s business going, thanks to the attention the company pays to innovation, research and development. By always understanding its customers’ needs the headquartered brand has managed to achieve outstanding results all over the world. Specialized in supplying a wide range of bulk products such as creams, sticks, powders and fluids to third party players in the global cosmetics scenario, the Caronno Pertusella (Varese)-based Trendcolor has achieved a growing success both in Italy and, most of all, abroad, dealing with such demanding markets as the Middle East’s and the Us’. Research and development are the key drivers of its overall activity, as sales and marketing manager Sabrina Cortinovis and managing director Maurizio Donzelli explain.
What were the major milestones in Trendcolor’s evolution, both in terms of product and business development, Mrs. Cortinovis? And what is the company’s mission today?
Our company has always dedicated an intense effort to the issues of applied research in every sector and mainly in the cosmetics segment, with a constant search for new raw materials and formulations. It also employs a team of highly-skilled professionals who cooperate with some of the most important Italian universities in order to always provide customers with new solutions. Furthermore we have strengthened our research and development activities aiming to address a variety of market segments and regions with specific formulations. This was also due to the uninterrupted acquisition of new markets and to the need to fulfill our new customers’ requirements. Our products where then delivered and appreciated in Europe, but also in Middle East and in the United States.
Which nations and/or macro-regions are today the most successful for Trendcolor’s business?
Basically the most part of our revenue comes from the international markets and from Europe especially. But our presence is growing in such areas as the already mentioned Middle East and United States. Nonetheless among our Italian clients there are some of the most important and worldwide famous cosmetics producers; together with renown make-up artists of the national and global scenario and with interesting new players focusing on natural, biologic and sometimes vegan-oriented products. This allowed us to develop certified products and to include these new lines in our offer portfolio. Our strategy is proving successful and it is difficult to point out the best-performing regions in terms of sales, because today Trendcolor is growing everywhere. Our opinion is that our success is due to our ability to serve a variety of segments in our industry, addressing both the high end – including then professional channel – and the mass market. The real winner is the knowledge we have developed of our customers’ needs and of the countries we deal with. Also, an in-depth awareness of the markets and countries we deal with results in an additional effort in developing dedicated products. And we are confident this policy, that we can define as a tailor-made applied research, is also the best way to achieve outstanding results.
Has a further expansion towards other international markets already been planned?
In first place we obviously wish our growth in the nations we already operate in, and the relationship we have with our most loyal clients, could continue. We are in fact confident that to build a relation of partnership with our customers, instead of playing as a mere supplier, is one of Trendcolor’s major points of strength. We play an important role in their growth strategies by supporting them with our own expertise. But of course we want to reach new markets in the Middle East and in the Far East: this is our new and most important challenge and we are today striving to address it with dedicated new products, ready to be launched in the short-medium term. These new solutions are poised to have a dramatic impact on the local markets, thanks to their innovative characteristics.
What are the most significant challenges and opportunities for Trendcolor in today’s market?
To have structured and organized our research and development laboratories on the basis of a broader vision of the world of cosmetics, in order to consider both the regulatory and formulation issues, was certainly a huge opportunity. And this has allowed Trendcolor to successfully face both the domestic and overseas markets. The organization is entirely committed to customers and aimed to offer a wide range of services, in terms of packaging and technology. The creativity needed to always introduce innovations and services is a major opportunity of evolution too and thus, if on the one hand the need to create an always more specialized and skilled team could be considered critical, we would rather look at it as to a challenge we managed to win with our day-by-day activity.
How does Trendcolor manage to successfully address its custonersì ever-changing requests?
Customers require customized products because they want to differentiate on the market and build upon the frequent launch of new products. This inspires the research for new active principles and raw materials, in order to make their offer unique and successful, of course. Textures, colors and delivery systems are only a few of the peculiarities that can make a product unique and to anticipate market trends is our major goal. Our marketing team collects information worldwide in order to elaborate new products and colors, by paying a constant attention to such sectors as fashion or design and understanding the changes undergoing society and culture in every nation. We work alongside with best of breed partners in the chemical and technical industries in order to invest, innovate and share our competences, vision and goals. Furthermore, the demand for certified products is gaining importance: if we look at biological, vegan or halal items, Trendcolor can display a wide offer and is always looking for new opportunities to enrich this portfolio.
What kind of innovations do You expect to impact on the cosmetics market in the future?
In its newly built facility our company has reserved an important space for new and technologically advanced plants for bulk manufacturing, so to ensure our products the finest quality possible and make them comfortable. New methodologies, related to recently introduced manufacturing processes, are there to ensure productive excellence. Most updated technologies on the manufacturing side, with new generation machines, allow us to provide the market with innovative solutions, smoother and creamier eyeshadows, special surface effects, plus a number of novelties we are keen to introduce at the next edition of the Cosmoprof Fair in 2016.
How would You describe the importance that the R&D department has for Your business?
Our laboratories have a vital importance for the company, thanks to a dedicated and most specialized R&D workgroup, but furthermore we can always rely on business units focused on specific products with the aim to optimize the R&D activities. These also work closely with our strategic marketing and market needs teams; and all of these units cooperate in introducing new products with the aim of fulfilling our customers’ demand. Of course the company invests for attending the most important international trade fairs and exhibition and it is thus mandatory for out research and development organization to create specific formulations for these events. Our next goal is that to take part in the next editions of Cosmoprof, in Dubai and Paris.
Consultancy is also another important aspect of Your business. Could You describe the strategies You implemented in order to make it more effective?
We believe a company can achieve the most outstanding results by supporting customers with its expertise; while clients must only focus completely on their sales and distribution channels. This is the reason why we offer a complete support for the development of cosmetics lines, ranging from branding and brand awareness to market positioning. We analyze and develop the most suitable formulations and we offer consultancy services about the technical documentation needed from the regulatory and chemical points of view. Our marketing services also help clients in evaluating their offer’s performances, suggesting changes to their present line up with new, innovative proposals.
What will the guidelines for Trendcolor’s future development look like, in Your opinion?
First of all, the fact that we recently moved to a new and larger facility in which we heavily invested represents an important news. It was driven by the growth of our revenues, that we expect to rocket in the near future too. This allowed Trendcolor to recruit some extremely talented young workers. But if we look at the market’s demand, we must notice face care and such items as mascara are gaining momentum, and these are in fact the areas in which we possibly invest the most. We love our products and always fall in love with our novelties, that we are eager to introduce. But as soon as a new formulation hits the market, then we are already turning to create a new one. Our industry, of which we are so passionate, allows us to always look forward investing in new products and to fulfill our customers’ requirements is also the main reason for our satisfaction.
A COMPLETE OFFER
Trendcolor’s portfolio includes such products as fluid, cream, poured, stick, mousse and powder foundation, pressed and loose powder; together with cream, liquid and powder blush, primers, make up base, pressed and illuminating earth. Furthermore it can provide customers, third party and private label players especially, with pressed, mousse and loose eyeshadow, ink-liners, liquid and cake eyeliners, mascaras, jumbo pencils, poured and cream lipstick, roll on and lip balm.
AND A COMPLETE SET OF CERTIFICATIONS
Trendcolor’s formulations all comply with the most important international regulations and standards, including Cee, Fda, Jpn. Furthermore the company addresses its clients’ needs. We satisfy client’s need by providing products with the most up-to-date claims: Paraben free, TEA free; paraffin free; talc free; UVA and UVB protection (from lower to higher factor) and all other features clients should require. The company provides all the necessary documents related to products and works according to the GMP guidelines and is constantly in direct contact with the Italian Ministry of Health; which gives the company the opportunity of being updated on new laws, documents needed and regulations, giving also the guarantee of an excellent manufactured product.
by R. Carminati