Cosmoprof NA 2009 Fires Up Attendees and Exhibitors

More than 620 exhibitors and 22,500 attendees rallied to beat both the heat of the Las Vegas desert and the embroiling economic climate as they filled the show floor July 19-21 at Cosmoprof North America at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. The business-to-business beauty event, which encompasses all sectors of the industry in one venue, attracted many new and innovative brands in addition to industry leaders.

Cosmoprof North America continues to unite buyers and sellers from around the world.

This year’s show welcomed PBA Beauty Week, North America’s largest, most inclusive beauty event, in addition to The North American Hairstyling Awards, held annually in conjunction with the event.

For countries seeking to expand their foreign trade in beauty, Cosmoprof NA dedicated special sections on the show floor to distinct Inter-national Country Pavilions, in which small- and medium-sized companies from select markets could obtain direct “face time” with distributors and retailers to secure U.S. distribution.

The International Buyer Program, a Cosmoprof exclusive, continued to unite buyers and sellers around the world via one-on-one pre-scheduled appointments with a group of selected importers and distributors. Discover Beauty, another Cosmoprof North America exclusive, assisted newly emerging brands in finding the proper market, while spotlighting the newest trends for influential retail buyers—also through one-on-one meetings with buyers from prestigious retailers. This year’s show also continued the Discover Beauty-Spa program through a collaboration with the Las Vegas Spa Association.

The educational portion of the annual event featured a number of seminars, focusing on topics such as green packaging materials, developing private label brands, increasing sales in beauty stores and a panel on new retail strategies organized in conjunction with Women’s Wear Daily.

Cosmoprof North America 2010 is planned for July 18-20 at the same venue. More info: www.cosmoprofnorthamerica.com

Alcan Packaging’s Pixel Graphics technology proved to be a winner in the ETMA awards.

Alcan Packaging Beauty Wins Award for Best Laminate Tube

Alcan Packaging Beauty has announced that it has won the award for Best Laminate Tube 2009 from the European Tube Manufacturers Association (ETMA) for the production of Bye-Bye Spot, Nivea’s latest addition to its “Visage Young” line. To obtain the extremely deep, accurate graphics, Alcan Packaging Beauty used a combination of two printing technologies: Pixel Graphics direct printing, which provides fine details and brings out subtle color gradations; and hot-stamping, which gives a mirror effect. (For more on this tube, please see Beauty Packaging’s feature article on the tube market.)

Maesa Group’s Tom Butkiewicz (L) and Scott Kestenbaum were honored by Ernst & Young as ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ finalists.

Maesa Execs Named Ernst & Young ‘Entrepreneur’ Finalists

Thomas Butkiewicz and Scott Kestenbaum, of the Maesa Group, were recognized on July 23 at Manhattan’s Marriot Marquis as finalists of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the greater New York area. The award is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs, recognizing those who demonstrate extraordinary success in the areas of innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Butkiewicz and Kestenbaum were among the principals of Zorbit Resources in 2003, now part of the Maesa Group. Over the past six years, Zorbit has grown quickly to become a pioneer and innovator in the beauty industry. Maesa maintains branches in Paris, London, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Hanae Mori designed special items and packaging to support breast cancer awareness.

Hanae Mori Packaging Targets Breast Cancer Awareness

Hanae Mori Butterfly, an enduring classic that first launched in 1997, is named for Madame Hanae Mori, Japan’s most famous female fashion designer and the first to show her collections on the runways of Paris and New York. To honor her and all women who wear this fragrance—and to support women’s health issues—the brand has developed a special pink gift box and pink satin scarf, which will appear at Nordstrom in October and thereafter, wherever Hanae Mori Parfums are sold. Both were manufactured by Ma Cher, based on butterfly-themed designs by Dianna Quinteros, a senior at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, winner of the Hanae Mori National Art Contest that involved art students coast to coast. The scarves will be worn by Hanae Mori sales associates to indicate breast cancer awareness, and will also be offered to customers free with a purchase of $75 or more. The collapsible, pink gift boxes will also be offered free with a purchase of $75 or more. Up to 5% of proceeds from October sales in the U.S. of the classic Hanae Mori Butterfly fragrance will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund.

Knoll Expands Global Reach with Paris Trade Show

In an effort to expand its European client base, Knoll Packaging’s U.S. management team joined its new Paris office head of sales, Florence Dancoisne, as an exhibitor at the Pack & Gift Show in Paris-Port de Versailles, France, June 3-4.The show enjoyed an increase in attendance of nearly 9% from the 2008 show, with 2,800 visitors including representatives of the spirits, chocolates, cosmetics, and medical device industries, and newcomers from markets like hotel and sport. One of 147 exhibitors this year, Knoll plans on returning as a third-time exhibitor in 2010 for the Paris show, which will run June 9-10.

NOTE: Knoll’s information in Beauty Packaging’s 2009 Buyers’ Guide is listed incorrectly. Here is the company’s correct contact info: 149 Eileen Way, Syosset, NY 11791, 516-621-0100 ext. 13, info@knollpack.com, www.knollpack.com