Nanotechnology increases presence in the personal hygiene and beauty market
DCI
The nanotechnology company Inventiva bets on the cosmetics market and it is already harvesting the results. The initial investment amounted to R$ 850 thousand (US$ 464.5 thousand) in 2008. This year, the company is getting its act together to invest R$ 450 thousand (US$ 257 thousand) in new technologies. "By the end of the year we will launch on the market nearly 30 products developed for the cosmetic sector that will range from active substances that remove stains from the skin to those intended for rejuvenation", says the shareholder of the company, Renata Faffin. From those new products and investments, Inventiva intends to double its production, which in 2009 was of 50 liters. "Our differential this year is the segmentation and the new lines we are launching in the market", says Faffin.
According to the President of the Brazilian Association of Cosmetology, Alberto Keidi Kurebayashi, another niche that grows in Brazil is that of natural products, but he affirms it is too early to provide data on the participation of the segment in the cosmetic sector in Brazil. The Business Officer of Beraca, a company of natural products, present in the market for more than 40 years, agrees with the President of the entity that there is no consolidated data in the sector, but there is a positive projection of his business. "Our goal this year is to grow nearly 14%. In the international market this niche already represents 12%", he says. Last year Beraca had earnings of R$ 100 million (US$ 57.1 million). For 2010 he foresees the launching of four lines. The company currently exports 35% of its entire production. The production of the company gets to 500 tons and may get to two thousand tons in the plant located in the Amazon.
In Brazil there are currently 1,659 companies working in the market of personal hygiene, perfumery and cosmetics, 14 of which are large size companies with average income of R$ 100 million (US$ 57.1 million). According to data of the Brazilian Association of the Personal Hygiene, Perfumery and Cosmetics Industry (Abihpec), the sector grew 10.5% in the last 14 years. In 2010 the sector should grow nearly 11%, one point percent more than in the past years. "The crisis did not damage our market, because at times like these there is growth of the low self-esteem and that causes people to increase the consumption", explains the President of the entity.