Premium Beauty News - Founded in1964 by Gerd and Dieter Erlhöfer, Louvrette soon became one of three leaders in the European market of make-up cases. In 1994, it is the shift for the production of jars, particularly with the first thick wall jars, and today with new lines incorporating smooth bottles, airless bottles including their closures.
Fabian Erhölfer - Like any company specialized in plastic injection, we obviously had to adapt to the globalization of markets in the cosmetic sector. And the shift operated at the time, in the mid 90s by the management team was necessary. Make-up cases which was the core business of the company, was no longer viable confronted to Asian countries. It was absolutely necessary to find something else.
Currently, the production of jars accounts for nearly 80% of Louvrette’s business and that of make-up cases for more than 20%. Obviously the changes operated in the mid 90s were salutary for three reasons. Firstly, because we have acquired a unique expertise in the design of jars of all shapes (cylindrical, conical, rounded, etc..), In particular multi-print, then because it allowed us to widen our offer with the production of a combined range of bottles, airless bottles and closures (bottles in 150, 200 and 250 ml, airless in 15, 30 et 50ml), finally, because all the investments made, particularly during the construction of the new plant in 2007, allow us to consider with confidence future developments also including the segment of make-up cases that we have not abandoned as a part of the production is very likely to be transferred back to Europe.
Premium Beauty News - In which case, this would be in a way, a return to one’s root?
Fabian Erhölfer - In a way, yes. But if you compare the technical and industrial background, Louvrette presently has little to do with what the company looked like in the 1980s. We have significantly increased our technical level and optimized our production.
The new plant, built in 2007 with an investment exceeding 1.8 million Euros, is a perfect example environmentally speaking. We use a very small percentage of chemicals in our production. For waste treatment, we rely on companies specialized in recycling. No harmful emissions are released into the atmosphere during production of plastic parts, thanks to a sophisticated air filtration system. Of course, we have installed a wastewater filtering system. Manufacturing generates no heat nor noise or smell. Of course, we reuse, whenever possible, cores which are directly transformed into pellets to be reused into machines. For the cooling of machines and tools, we have invested in a hot and cold air recycling system, which allows us to achieve energy savings of 80% and reduce CO2 emissions. Our investment plan for machines includes replacement of obsolete equipment with high energy consumption by latest generation machines with reduced energy consumptions. We have just invested in an electric injection molding machine. 2010 will be the year of ISO 14001 certification for Louvrette and we are very seriously considering the possibilities of replacing fossil polymers with plant based polymers among others.
In terms of design, we can offer products that will integrate our standards or develop specific packaging. The design of our standard packaging varies depending on customer demand, it is timeless and functional. So each brand is free to customize its packaging with colors, finishings and decorations that we offer them. For that purpose, we strive to take account of trends and prevailing creativity. As part of our new Customer Design, we help our customers from designing to product launch and put all our experience and know how to good use: product designing, quick prototype design, 3D, designing and industrial manufacturing of tools by ourselves.
Premium Beauty News - Jars, bottles, closures, cases ... you are both in the universe of care and make-up. An area with increasing innovation.
Fabian Erhölfer - Quite true and we will be active in this segment of innovation in 2010. I can already tell you, without giving any details, that we are working with other partners on the design of an airless jar that will be really innovative.
