DE 
Driving Growth and Synergy: Summit Cosmetics Europe’s Activities and Strategic Partnerships
Interview with Lionel Rey
Sales & Marketing Director, Summit Cosmetics Europe
Following the merger-acquisition in 2022 of the Personal Care division of Summit Pharmaceuticals Europe (SPE) in Germany by SACI-CFPA, a major French player in the distribution of ingredients for the cosmetics industry for decades, Summit Cosmetics Europe was created in April 2023 to harmonize the activities of Summit Cosmetics Corporation division in Europe. Lionel Rey, the company’s Sales & Marketing Director, explains his vision.
Can you describe Summit Cosmetics Europe’s activities?
This merger-acquisition enables us to be recognized as a European distributor and to consolidate our ingredients offering by pooling our market knowledge and expertise. The creation of the Summit Cosmetics Europe identity is part of a process to homogenize the activities of the Summit Cosmetics Corporation, so that all sister companies in the cosmetic division can benefit from a global network of suppliers, process innovation and operational excellence, with the aim of bringing value to our customers.
For more than two decades, Summit Cosmetics German Branch, formally SPE Dusseldorf Branch, has been focusing on providing essential products such as UV filters, solvents, and other vitamins to the industry. The sales and promotion strategy has grown up and is now based on two different approaches: a commercial offer with a highly competitive portfolio, and technical offer with a variety of specialty and semi-commodity ingredients which requires the help of technical experts in skin biology and formulation.
Guided by our global support teams (marketing, application laboratory and regulatory), we are providing cutting edge & unique service to the European cosmetic Industry. In addition, we are building a solid and sustainable presence on the market by carefully selecting tomorrow’s suppliers and products by always seeking more naturality and more sustainability.
You recently shared information about your EcoVadis Score, could you tell us more about your CSR Approach?
For more than ten years, we have been implementing sustainable and ethical practice within our organization. As a matter of fact, we have been awarded with Gold Status from EcoVadis (Score from 75 to 76 in 2023). We always challenge our suppliers to provide us with more information about their actions and we nourish them with our feedback and requirements from our clients & partners who are our drivers with regards to sustainability.
We are also looking further down that road when it comes to our supply strategy, we select and import products with a lower environmental impact. In our laboratory, we help our clients with the expertise about our raw materials but also develop and create green formulas.
You just mentioned an application laboratory, can you explain what kind of product you design?
Our laboratory is working as a support for our clients and as an innovation expert as we are closely collaborating with our sourcing team to unveil new ideas, concepts, and future trends for our customers. Since long, we have been working on innovative concepts but also on the replacement of the most polluting ingredients that are currently on the verge of being banned.
Moreover, we regularly participate to innovation contests across Europe, especially in France, where we have been awarded two years in a row with the most innovative & sustainable formulas.
You have recently expanded your ingredients portfolio by signing distribution agreements for Europe with two suppliers. Can you tell us more?
Indeed, our approach to be working with our suppliers is based on solid, long-term relationships. Some of our partners have been key players in our supply chain for over twenty-five years. This long history of working together testifies to the mutual trust and satisfaction we have developed over the years. Our expansion enables us to strengthen our ties with our suppliers and, what’s more, extend our distribution rights for the European market. So recently, we expanded our portfolio for Europe with: AURORIUM HOLDING L.L.C. which is a specialized supplier of cosmetic ingredients. Their expertise in this field enables us to enrich our cosmetics offering with natural, high-quality ingredients derived from this plant source. Castor oil-derived ingredients are renowned for their moisturizing, nourishing, and regenerating properties, making them essential elements in many cosmetics formulations. Quality, traceability, and sustainability are key values for our company, and we are delighted that our partners share this vision. We also expend our portfolio with JIANGSU TRAUTEC MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. which is our brand-new partner, specialized in collagen. This R&D biotech driven company is providing us bio-fermented recombinant human collagens, a worldwide innovation. Their collagen range is completely biocompatible as the products optimize the high bioactive amino acid sequence of natural human collagen. This partnership allows us to boost our portfolio of bio fermented actives and supply high quality, trendy products to our customers.
Can you share your medium-long term objectives related to you European Extension?
We are able to supply and deliver ingredients across Europe thanks to our three logistic partners located in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom and we distribute 22 suppliers through Summit Cosmetics Europe – German Branch, based in Düsseldorf.
We would like to keep on growing within these markets thanks to the presence of our experienced teams.
We are investing, developing, and increasing our salesforce in this sense and our long-term goal is to have local teams in each European country in order to promote our partners to local customers and strengthen our relationship with multinational companies with their R&D centers and production facility globally.
