Dr. Jörg Karas, Managing Director, Schwan-STABILO Group

Fiscal year 2015/16 (ended 30 June) was the most successful in the company’s history with the highest turnover in over 160 years of existence rising by more than 100 million to 706.7 million euros, a year-on-year increase of 18 per cent.

For the first time, all three sub-groups contributed to the overall result with strong growth. “We have made optimum use of our opportunities,” said Schwan-STABILO Group Managing Director Dr. Jörg Karas. “For Cosmetics, this meant generic growth in many product areas. For STABILO, the market gave the otherwise slowly growing sector a strong boost, first and foremost thanks to the global adult colouring trend. And despite the rather stagnant development in many outdoor markets, we ensured additional stimulus by acquiring the Maier Sports group.

The number of employees grew by almost ten percent: there are now over 5,100 worldwide, 2,232 of them in Germany.

As far as the cosmetics subgroup is concerned, Schwan Cosmetics’ sales increased significantly in the 2015/2016 fiscal year, rising by 14.3 per cent to 364.3 million euros. Investments amounted to more than 30 million euros and were made predominantly in the development of new products and in increasing capacity in Germany and abroad.

(click on the image to enlarge it)

More than half a billion consumers require an enormous product range, particularly as their requirements are becoming more and more individual. Our aim is to create the perfect products for every woman in the world,” commented Dr. Jörg Karas. “In recent years, the cosmetic pencil has developed into a driver of growth in the cosmetics industry. Schwan Cosmetics contributed significantly to this upturn thanks to new fields of application. For example, the world’s first powdered eye shadow pencil was launched at the beginning of the year. It has since ensured healthy sales. From this year, our company product portfolio also includes halal-certified cosmetics pencils.

(click on the image to enlarge it)

Schwan Cosmetics is represented by ten subsidiaries across four continents. One year after opening the centre of excellence in Murfreesboro, Tennessee (USA), Schwan Cosmetics can see positive first results: Production has got off to a good start and the integration of the new employees has been completed. The strategy of being represented in all important cosmetic markets with local production sites is also paying off in Central and South America. After expanding the Mexico site, the group’s Colombia site was also expanded this year.