Demand for non-traditional hair dyes leads to new player

Italhair will build on the reputation both companies have in the market to create a business providing technology-driven product innovation and supply chain-operations targeted at a market segment that is currently valued at $2bn in North America alone. LEK is aiming to tap into HSA's expertise in European hair care, and more specifically the hair dye segment, while it will be offering its comprehensive and highly developed distribution network established throughout Canada and the United States. According to LEK, HSA has forged a reputation in Europe as a leader in the alternative dye segment through a range of products that include cream and gel oxidization dyes, ammonia-free cream and oxidization dyes and semi and demi-permanent dyes. As well as providing a complete range of other hair care solutions, including finishing lines, perms and straightening products, HSA also has comprehensive production facilities in both Brazil and Italy, giving it a global reach. This reach is expected to be built on with the addition of LEK's production facilities in the United States, which should see Italhair establishing itself as the leading alternative hair coloring player in North America. "LEK's unrivalled network in North America adds a crucial dimension to this venture by optimizing the market-penetration capacity of our products," said HSA president Giampiero Zanzi. John Betuccini, CEO of LEK and the new president of Italhair said that HSA's former manufacturing partnership with Clairol and its partnership with some of the largest players in the personal care industry demonstrated a proven track record in the industry. According to market information, the new venture should be well placed as the market for alternative hair dyes is growing rapidly. Indeed, it is currently estimated that the market for alternative hair care brands generates around 10 per cent of the industry's total sales, up 25 per cent from five years ago. This trend reflects the increasing segmentation of the market, with the number of hair care products proliferating massively in the course of the last few years, a trend that has been mirrored in the hair dye segment.