In late 2018 Tokiwa announced plans to expand on its US presence (sales offices in New York State) with the addition of a color cosmetics manufacturing facility. Until now, the company has been making its pencils, powders, complexion products, lipsticks, mascaras, etc. overseas.
“This new US facility will allow for our continued growth and expansion internationally,” Naoyuki Soga, the company’s CEO, told the press late last year. “We are poised to better meet and serve the needs and expectations of our US and European based customers by providing real-time responses, increased speed to market, reduced expenses/costs and face-to-face dialog and collaboration, said Soga.
“Plus,” he notes, “it will allow us to reach new customers, with our US-made products.”
Regional advantage
Tokiwa believes that local production, Japanese quality, and face-to-face contact with brand leaders will help set the company apart from other J beauty makers globally and other color cosmetics companies already operating in the North Eastern US.
“Our team’s objective is to deliver Japanese quality and standards at a competitive price for all our customers through strategic global partners and alliances, through our investments in technology, and most important, through our well trained, dedicated, and experienced staff,” explained Bob Congionti, the company’s operations manager, in the press release announcing the company’s plan to open a US site.
In a post to LinkedIn this week, Congionti, now vice president of operations for Tokiwa Cosmetics America, celebrated the grand opening writing, “We can’t wait to show our partners the state-of-the-art facility.”
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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.