Quality was key at in-cosmetics Asia 2009 which took place in Singapore from 13 -15 October. Many exhibitors expressed their delight at the high level of key decision makers visiting, of which 66% came from an international base, almost double that of last year. This highlighted just why in-cosmetics Asia is considered one of the leading exhibition and conferences in Asia for personal care ingredients.
2,202 visitors from Asia, including China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and further afield from the likes of Brazil, France, USA and South Africa, travelled to Singapore Expo to not only discover the latest innovations and technologies but also update their industry knowledge. Exhibitors were pleasantly surprised with the level of interest and the number of business opportunities. Mi-Young Jun of Bioland in South Korea commented: “We’ve had a chance to meet and get acquainted with potential new customers so we were very satisfied with the results of this event. in-cosmetics Asia 2009 in Singapore was successful for us.” Jocey Wu from Dow Personal Care added: “in-cosmetics Asia met and exceeded our expectations as we saw far more international visitors than anticipated.”
Exhibitors ranged from big name players including, Croda, DSM Nutritional Products, and SEPPIC to smaller, more niche companies, such as Aldivia and Alove Bali. Both the Korean and French pavilions proved extremely popular, with visitors keen to explore the newest products originating from these countries.
The Spotlight on Skin-Whitening Conference, one of the show’s highlights, was sold out. Feedback from the delegates, many of whom were high-level decision makers from key manufacturers including Amway, Johnson & Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, L’Oréal and Procter & Gamble, was extremely positive. Over 80% were very satisfied with the event and 95% would recommend it to their fellow colleagues. Geeta Bajaj, regulatory affairs manager of Estee Lauder India and Middle East, enthused: “It was an excellent, well arranged conference featuring good speakers.” Indonesian attendee Dr Anna Ranti, raw material and product appraisal manager of PT Martina Berto, agreed: “This type of conference is very much needed by many companies throughout Asia.” Adam Tang from Amway China, R&D Centre added: "It was a wonderful exhibition and a wonderful conference on skin-whitening. Congratulations!”
The Cosmetic Regulations and Safety Assessment Workshop, led by the renowned Dr Alain Khaiat, President CTFAS, was another sell-out success. The first of its kind in Asia, it gave delegates the opportunity to review the Asian regulations and to assess product safety in accordance with the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive, through interactive, practical demonstrations. Dr. Khaiat’s one-on-one sessions on the same theme at the show’s new “Ask the Experts Clinics” were also in great demand.
IMAGINE Natural Beauty, the show’s central feature, certainly lived up to its name. Focusing on the ever-growing natural and organic market, IMAGINE fired visitors’ imagination into what the future may hold. Showcasing the latest innovations from 11 leading laboratories, the touch and feel element was designed to surprise and inspire.
Jacques Sebag, project manager of IMAGINE Natural Beauty, was thrilled with the interest in the new active ingredients, textures and formulas on display. “The number of visitors at IMAGINE and the quality of the discussions that took place between them and the exhibitors really emphasises the increasing interest of the Asian market in the natural and organic concept and I have no doubt this awareness will continue to grow!"
The show’s free Marketing Trends presentations and Innovation Seminars were a great success and often standing room only. Exhibitors including Bio-Nest, Croda, Dow Personal Care and Lipotec gave their insights into the challenges of new product development to a full house whilst speakers from Euromonitor, Google, L’Oréal Singapore, Mintel and Unilever provided an entertaining and educational look into the latest global marketing trends. Presentations by Organic Monitor and Kline on natural and organics were also packed, reflecting the industry’s obvious desire to learn more about this growing sector.
Sarah Gibson, exhibition manager of in-cosmetics Asia commented: “in-cosmetics Asia has really established itself as the training and educational centre for the cosmetics industry in Asia, thanks to the excellent educational programmes each year, covering the hot topics in the ASEAN region and across the globe. The unprecedented number of international visitors helped create a vibrant and stimulating atmosphere at this year’s conference as well as on the exhibition floor.”
