Cosmetics in expert hands
Following its successful launch in France, the new DACHSER Cosmetics Logistics industry solution is now being rolled out in key European markets. Customers can look forward to solutions tailored to their needs.
Whether they are nurturing, like facial toner and night cream, or decorative, like foundation and eye shadow, cosmetics bring glamour and style into the world of those who use them. Because personal care products require special attention as they make their way to customers, DACHSER has now launched its own industry solution just for that: DACHSER Cosmetics Logistics, a bespoke transport and logistics service for the cosmetics industry.
The starting point for the industry solution was the “home of cosmetics” itself: France, the central hub of this global market and also its leading exporter. The country exports EUR 16 billion of cosmetics products each year, with about half going to Germany, the UK, Spain, and Italy. In other words, it’s a major growth market, including for logistics.
“Now we’re expanding the industry solution to Germany and other European countries, and our positive experiences in France form the best possible starting point,” explains Jens Wollmann, Head of Corporate Solutions at DACHSER. “With its global network, years of experience, and specialist industry knowledge, DACHSER is positioning itself as the ideal partner for the distribution of cosmetics products in all European markets.”
Initially, services for the cosmetics industry will still be provided under the umbrella of DACHSER Chem Logistics. “However, because the cosmetics industry has its own requirements, we’ve set up an expert team to help develop specific logistics concepts for cosmetics suppliers. These concepts include transport and warehousing as well as sustainability, city distribution, omnichannel logistics, assessments, and certifications,” says Bruno Guillard, Department Head DACHSER Cosmetics Logistics.
Tailored solutions
Within the industry solution, all processes along the supply chain are digitally controlled and documented in real time. At the top of the priority list is the issue of safety and security. For example, exclusive cosmetics products can be specially protected in their own secure storage facilities. A policy of sealing and regularly checking the vehicles as well as using digital video surveillance provides the appropriate level of security.
The word cosmetics comes from the Ancient Greek “kosmein,” which means “to adorn.” But there isn’t really a fixed border between adornment and body care. Demand is growing constantly. A study by Grand View Research valued the global market for beauty and body care products in 2021 at USD 482.8 billion. From 2022 to 2030, the market researchers expect average annual growth of 7.7 percent.
Meanwhile, automated storage processes, standardized loading procedures, and efficient cargo securing all help minimize the risk of damage to this valuable cargo when it is en route to retailers. In addition, DACHSER has full AEO certification on “customs simplification, safety, and security” and has been rated by EcoVadis on various environmental, social, and ethical aspects of sustainability.
A specialist for every eventuality
The options offered by DACHSER Cosmetics Logistics include a wide selection of value-added services: specific delivery services, delivery planning and returns management in transport, special packaging solutions, inventory monitoring and replenishment management in warehousing, and much more. “We have a solution for almost anything customers in the cosmetics industry could wish for,” Guillard says.
Sustainability is an increasingly important requirement in the cosmetics industry. This is certainly true of Groupe Rocher, an international group of companies headquartered in La Gacilly, France, and focused on manufacturing and selling natural cosmetics and body care products. “We entrust DACHSER with the distribution of our natural cosmetics items,” explains Jean-Louis Lamidon, Logistics Director at Groupe Rocher Operations. He points out that DACHSER records and reduces its customers’ transport-related carbon footprint. For example, as part of DACHSER Emission-Free Delivery, non-refrigerated shipments are delivered in twelve city centers and urban areas in Europe exclusively by battery-electric trucks and electric vans as well as cargo e-bikes. “For the cosmetics industry, with its many small items such as skincare products or toiletries, zero-emission city distribution is a promising building block for achieving sustainability goals,” Wollmann says.
In the cosmetics business, such an understanding of logistics strikes a chord with the industry—and its (end) customers. Alexandra Pauly, Supply Chain Manager for Sederma, a manufacturer specializing in organic cosmetics products, says: “As a family-owned company, DACHSER embodies the values of sustainability and of respect for the products that we have earmarked for the cosmetics industry.” The DACHSER Cosmetics Logistics industry solution, she adds, stands for something “essential in the cosmetics and personal care sector: trust and security.”
