Cosmoprof Asia: More Than Ever, the “Beauty” Showcase of the Best Asia Has to Offer

This event was as impressive as ever and, as usual, took place at two separate venues (Cosmoprof Asia at the Convention Center in the heart of Hong Kong and Cosmopack at AsiaWorld-Expo near the airport). The numbers speak for themselves, with more than 2,800 exhibitors from 43 countries and no fewer than 78,000 visitors. As for Cosmopack—which is primarily dedicated to the entire beauty industry supply chain—one thing immediately stood out, undoubtedly reflecting an imbalance with Asia that has continued to grow over the past twenty years: the near-total absence of European industry, aside from a few indestructible Italian firms in the formulation sector. There are virtually no German or French companies left. The Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean, and Japanese powerhouses in the beauty sector’s packaging and formulation fields appear to have definitively overtaken Western companies in the region. Geopolitical tensions, competitive advantages in terms of energy and raw material prices, restrictive legislation of all kinds in Europe, as well as unchecked technology and skills transfers, have ultimately weighed heavily in the industrial competition between Europe and Asia. The United States, meanwhile, has long since given up on turning this continent into its factory. Some still remember the slogan that used to be displayed at the entrance to the Plastic Vallée in the Oyonnax region (perhaps it still is?!): “Here, we work hard!” One thing is certain: walking through the aisles of Cosmopack Asia, “Here, we work just as hard!” One might add, “and here we create value.” No endless debates or information campaigns about pensions and insurance of all kinds. This stands in stark contrast to the rhetoric spouted by politicians, the media, and economists of all stripes in the West to a population out of touch with reality. I suggest we send them in whole charter flights to visit this kind of trade show. But would that trigger the epiphany we expect from them? Nothing is less certain. “There are none more deaf than those who do not want to hear!” Ah, I almost forgot… Hats off to the organizers for the quality of this trade show. A beautifully well-oiled machine where nothing is left to chance.