Clariant chooses ethnically diverse Brazil as new global hair care center

Named the Global Competence Center Hair Care, the facility will be located in Santo Amaro in Sao Paulo and is mooted to be opened with the first quarter of 2017.

A first of its kind, Clariant says the new facility is being strategically placed at the heart of one of the world’s fastest growing hair care markets, as well as being closer to a large customer base within the region.

Forging local and global partnerships​

The facility is 240 square meters in size and will provide the in-house capabilities for technical expertise that will result from co-operation with external experts and a new world of local and global partners.

The company highlighted the investment in the new facility at the recent in-cosmetics Latin America event, which was held in Sao Paulo October 5 – 6.

“What also makes Brazil a really good bet is the fact that the ethnic diversity in the country really makes it a market that reflects the expectations and needs of hair care consumers worldwide,”​ said Vaios Barlas, head of global competence center, personal care, Clariant.

Brazil hair care market still booming​

Although Brazil has been struggling under economic hardship of late, Barlas pointed out that the market is now picking up, and as all the major players have firmed up their presence in the market in recent years, the time is now to invest.

What’s more, despite that economic struggle, the hair care market there has continued to grow fast, with the company estimating that 20% of global growth in the hair care category coming from Brazil.

“But on top of the ethnic diversity and what is underpinning the Brazil market, there is also the fact that hair care consumers in Brazil are amongst the most discerning and rigorous in the world,”​ Barlas added.

“In fact, hair care regimes and the spending patterns of consumers are very different to other parts of the world, and this is underlined emphatically by the fact that many hair care consumers concurrently use eight to ten products.”​

Eyeing the global hair care market​

Clariant is also aiming to expand its footprint in both the Brazil and the global hair care market by partnering with high level third technology parties that are already present in the market to help give hair care product development a significant boost.

“Ultimately we want this new facility to be our inspiration for our hair care portfolio, then to take the resulting innovation to the global market,”​ said Barlas.