Didier Bourgine, Chairman of Augros’ Management Board

Premium Beauty News - 2019, a year like no others?

Didier Bourgine - That’s true. The year of our centenary will be full of surprises; it is our way of paying tribute to those thanks to who we are here today. What motivates me is the passion driving the men and women with whom I work: our teams, our customers, our partners and suppliers. It is with them that Augros wants to celebrate its 100 years of existence.

Premium Beauty News - What have you planned?

Didier Bourgine - First, moments for celebration and sharing, starting this summer in the Orne Department and this autumn in Paris, with, and for those who participated in the successful crossing of this first century of existence. We have also planned open days on our two production sites in Alençon and Le Theil, for our customers but also the press and public authorities.

And like every year, we will take part to major public events. We attended the last PCD show in Paris in January, and we are preparing a special celebration for the next Places D’Or event that will take place in November next. An innovative and collector’s object is being designed for this purpose. It is the artwork of a famous designer. This object will reflect the ongoing creativity of our trade, all the know-how of Augros and it will symbolize this important milestone for the whole Company.

Premium Beauty News - A centenary year but also a pivotal year?

Didier Bourgine - You are right, "pivotal" in more than one way since we recently made unprecedented industrial investments with the start of a new sputter metallization line which will be followed with the commissioning of a new automated lacquering line. All these investments representing nearly three million euros.

These investments, beyond the added technological competitiveness they offer, are part of our drive to continuously improve our environmental footprint. One our projects this year is to move from the Ecovadis Silver rating level to the Ecovadis Gold rating level.

Finally, we released quite a few innovations, among which, the new Mercedes-Benz line for INCC Parfums, with a complete tailor-made development (i.e., a specific colour and an automatically assembled actuator). An achievement to which took part the two sites of the Group. We can also mention the 8 flankers in the Alien line (Thierry Mugler, Clarins); for Sisley a jar made of PMMA with an inner lacquering and its cap also with an inner lacquering and with a white laser engraving. In the make-up area, we also made the decor of Dior’s Ultra Rouge, with a particularly complex coating to achieve on the aluminium case designed by Tesem.

Our teams are also changing with the arrival of Rodolphe Bénouville, our new Sales Manager.

Premium Beauty News - The next big appointment: July 20 in Alençon!?  

Didier Bourgine - This will be the first moment of celebration to thank and pay tribute to our teams and local partners, in Normandy.