There are multiple challenges that the market imposes on cosmetic companies: response speeds, increasingly innovative products, high technology, and a wealth of skills and know-how that can be used in competition on an international scale. The answer to these continual stresses exists in one world: synergy.
A mantra that small-medium enterprises are particularly devoted to, predisposed by nature to group together to increase business opportunities and at the same time, enhance their own positions in their business sectors, adding worth and a voice.
The industry’s associations such as Polo della Cosmesi have understood this well, in fact, Polo has just applied this concept at a higher level by becoming part of the Global Cosmetic Cluster Europe, essentially a close collaboration of the most important European cosmetic clusters. But what are its goals and how does GCC.EU work?
We asked Ivan Massari, Vice President of Polo and responsible for innovation and internationalization.
Why did you feel the need to create a project like GCC.EU?
«GCC.EU has the goal of strongly promoting knowledge in the cosmetic sector, interaction between companies in various countries, and fostering the possibility of participating in international events through the development of knowledge relative to international markets with subsequent participation in fairs and trade shows in reference countries. If it’s clear by the now that the market is a global one, it’s just as clear that there’s a need to put in place extraordinary tools to enable companies to be able to access this global market with the correct knowledge and skills and concrete help».
What do you expect from this union?
«The fundamental goal is to bring the role and weight of the cosmetic sector to the attention of institutions in terms of employment and contribution to the trade balance. There are countries with emerging economies that are moving very well and therefore a network at a European level, with the right support coming from policy makers, is strategic in order to compete and excel in the future».
In practice, what does synergy mean for cosmetic companies?
«It starts with a premise: the market wants products that are continually higher-performing and it wants them in the shortest possible time, products that are complex and that a company can’t produce on its own because it internally lacks skills, knowledge, and the necessary technology. This applies to every manufacturing sector, from formulation to packaging, from decoration and so on. Furthermore, the need to evaluate and benefit from the interaction between a particular formula and a specific packaging type is becoming increasingly more common. The collaboration between companies with specific products that have specific features is the only way to respond to the needs of a sector that is searching increasingly more for innovation and qualityà».
What do companies ask for from an association like Polo?
«Polo was founded in 2005 from the need to give a voice and union to third-party companies in the cosmetic sector that characterize the area in and around Crema. Over time, the association has grown to over 80 companies situated in the quadrangle between Crema, Bergamo, Milan, and Brianza, a territory that 65% of the world’s make-up comes from. .
Let’s talk about nowadays. Is it true that Polo has the task of responding to a variety of issues? Many more than in the past?
«Yes, it’s true. Today, Polo has the task of responding to a variety of issues: from regulatory problems which are increasingly more differentiated by geographical area to the demand for having contact with companies that can meet the needs for specific skill and knowledge areas, and as such, allowing for the development of synergies. Another fundamental role that our association has always had and that it continues to develop is helping associate companies with the internationalization process, especially small enterprises, facilitating the organization of fairs and international trade shows, and creating “collectives” where companies can take advantage of exhibition space which would normally be difficult to access on their own. In one word: synergy».