Michel-Henri Carriol, Trimex

Trimex employs about 800 staff, for an annual turnover of AU$ 75 million (EUR 39,2 million). The company also runs a 6,200 m2 warehouse. Furthermore, Trimex offers access to a network of 2,200 points of sale.

Actually, that’s one of our main assets”, says Jean-Marc Carriol. “Many distributing companies did not understand, at least at the beginning,how huge this country is, and how difficult it is to supply all points of sales”.

An adviser who became a trader

Michel-Henri Carriol arrived in Sydney in 1966, when he was appointed as the new trade attaché at the French embassy. His mission was to advise French companies seeking for business opportunities on this faraway continent.

At that time, Australia was far from being a first-list destination for most French or European exporters. But the demand was huge and Michel-Henri Carriol did not hesitate a while before founding its own company. In 1973, he left the embassy.

Initially, Trimex operated in several businesses, focusing on the French best selling industries, the “3F”: fragrance, fashion & food.

Clarins in Australia

At the outset of the 1980s, Trimex eventually opted for the personal care segment and concentrated its resources on this business.

This new positioning was also the result of an encounter, three years before, between Henri Carriol and Christian Courtin-Clarins, the creator and chief executive of the Clarins group. In parallel, of course, Trimex develops the positions of French cosmetics brand in Australia.

In 1989, Clarins grew into a joint venture member of the Trimex Group.

Leader on its market

Thirty-six years after its creation, Trimex achieved impressive results. Years after years the company grown up as the dominant importer and distributor of perfumes and cosmetics in Australia and New-Zealand.

We really are the prominent logistics coordinator in the health and beauty industry for this area of the world.” And that’s not that easy to supply around 2,200 Australian point of sales, including 65 Myer stores and 35 David Jones outlets.

Trimex operates a partnership office for the No.1 natural health company in France, ArkoPharma.

Finally, Trimex also represents multi-national group portfolios on a long term basis such as J&J and Puig Group.