Nature’s Beauty Creations Limited (NBCL), last week said, that its exotic herbal cosmetic line,Nature’s Secret, was already registered in 25 countries where the cosmetic products will be gradually introduced to by 2010. "Our products already occupy shelves in Bangladesh and the Middle East and we will soon export Nature’s Secret products to Russia, China and Pakistan," Samantha Kumarasinghe, Chairman/Managing Director NBCL said. Kumarasinghe said that Sri Lanka has the potential to tap into the US$ 240 billion global cosmetic market and is confident Nature’s Secret will be a global brand by 2020. "We are in a unique position to market our range of cosmetics because Sri Lanka has the natural resources in which to produce herbal cosmetics and being in the tropics, we can market our products as being truly exotic," Kumarasinghe said. Currently, the company’s exports amount to 10 per cent of its annual turnover and the company hopes to reverse this situation by 2010 when exports will contribute 90 per cent to its turnover. Kumarasinghe said the company will be carrying out extensive market research and marketing campaigns in order to establish itself as a global provider of herbal cosmetic products. Exports to India had to be suspended last year when the company experienced capacity constraints in production. To overcome this problem and to facilitate exports to more countries, a seven thousand sq. foot Rs.350 million factory complex at Horana was unveiled last week. The factory’s microbiology facilities employ European GMP standards and the complex is surrounded by a garden containing 350 varieties of herbs and plants. "The factory will increase our production capacity six times over," Kumarasinghe said. Since 1999, Nature’s Secret herbal cosmetics were produced in a-15 thousand square foot factory employing 140 staff. The new factory complex will increase staff to 225 strong. The entire production process, from taking plant extracts to delivery, will be centralised in the factory complex. "We are not interested in subcontracting any of our processors," Kumarasinghe said, stressing that that NBCL had to remain in control of the entire production cycle of Nature’s Secret in order to maintain high quality standards. "Our staff shares in the company’s profit," Kumarasinghe said with a flourish. "They are paid an incentive every month, the company makes a profit, irrespective of their contribution. And this is besides their salaries, overtime payments and the bonus they receive twice a year." NBCL is a subsidiary of Multichemi Group of Companies which enjoys a global presence through their detergent products, herbal cosmetics, herbal medicines, enzyme treatment for apparels and anti-soil erosion techniques. |
