Dr. Franco Lucà, new managing director of Faber-Castell Cosmetics: developing the immense assets of this company!
Franco Lucà has just been appointed Managing Director of Faber-Castell Cosmetics, a company that is part of the Faber-Castell Group (financial year 2024/25: total turnover of 600 million euros). He has previously held various management positions in several international companies in the beauty supply chain, such as the Intercos Group and Geka GmbH. He has been working in this sector for nearly 30 years. He began his career in various positions within the Aptar Group. ‘Throughout my career in the cosmetics industry,’ he explains, ‘I have always strived to ensure that the companies I have worked for are positioned as reliable, innovative and flexible partners. I will take the same approach at Faber-Castell Cosmetics by developing and globalising the immense assets that this company has acquired over the decades.’ An exclusive interview with Franco Lucá.
As you take the reins at Faber Castell Cosmetics, could you remind us what this company represents today in the world of beauty industry suppliers and what you see as its medium- and long-term prospects?
Franco Lucá: Faber-Castell Cosmetics is a globally recognised partner in the beauty industry in the field of pencils, serving major international brands. Thanks to our strong industrial presence in Germany, Brazil and the United States, we are able to deliver consistent quality on a large scale. Our strategic objective is to strengthen this role as a long-term global partner by expanding our customer base and product portfolio, with the ambition of consolidating our position as a leading player in the field of private label cosmetics.
What have been the main industrial investments made over the last three years and what are the plans for 2026 and 2027 ?
Franco Lucá: Of course, we strive to continuously improve the excellence of our services, improve delivery times and accelerate innovation. We operate three production sites in Europe, North America and Latin America and employ a total of 700 people. In recent years, we have made targeted investments, mainly in the production of plastic pencils and mechanical pencils, to support strong market growth. At the same time, we have invested in automation and new packaging systems to improve our efficiency. As Managing Director, my goal will be to combine our global production capabilities with our strong local expertise to leverage our high service capacity. It is not just a matter of meeting our customers’ needs, but of anticipating them today and for the future. In terms of investment, the key step at present is the expansion of our Elgin site in the United States. The aim is to cover the entire value chain for the North American market locally. This expansion is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2026. In this regard, as some products are still manufactured exclusively at our German site, we are of course affected by what is happening in terms of tariff increases. However, we believe we are in a good position thanks to the production plant in the United States in which we invested in 2018. This helps us considerably to limit the overall impact. At the same time, we are continuing to localise the manufacture of other products in order to provide our customers with the most flexible, resilient and reliable supply chains possible. Looking ahead to 2027, we will continue to invest not only in expanding our capacity in our key markets, but also in innovation, which we see as an ongoing, long-term commitment. Further investments will be made to strengthen our global sales organisation and our research and development capabilities. We plan to approach key markets with experienced local teams to ensure greater proximity to our customers and a better understanding of market developments.
What are the ‘flagship’ products currently manufactured by Faber-Castell Cosmetics and what new products are planned for the coming months?
Franco Lucá: We are enjoying real success in the sale of our mechanical pencils and, over the past two years, we have significantly developed our plastic pencil business, thanks in particular to a new lip pencil formula. We have invested in a jumbo mechanical system to improve the use of our textures to create practical and durable products. In 2026, we will be launching some really exciting new products with new lead geometries and updates to our best-selling formulas, which will, of course, comply with the latest ingredient requirements. We are also working on various applications for our jumbo mechanical pencil. Stay tuned, as we will soon be unveiling a new generation of intense black liquid eyeliners and much more.
When we think of Faber Castell Cosmetics, we think of ‘pencils’. In your opinion, what are the advantages of this make-up tool and how could it evolve technically?
Franco Lucá: Pencils are synonymous with precision, performance and convenience. While sharpenable wooden pencils are often the first image that comes to mind, they have evolved considerably and now include a wide range of formats designed to meet different application needs, performance expectations and consumer preferences. At Faber-Castell Cosmetics, we consider pencils to be a versatile platform rather than a single product. In addition to traditional wooden pencils, we offer mechanical pencils, which are currently our best-performing range. The main advantages are consistent precision without sharpening, reduced product waste and ease of use, making them particularly attractive to consumers who seek reliability and efficiency in their daily application. At the same time, other formats such as liquid eyeliners are gaining in importance, thanks to different application techniques, good wear properties and attractive results. These formats allow for greater intensity, longer wear and a more expressive look depending on the formulation and design of the applicator. By offering several formats of pencils and eyeliners, each with its own advantages, we are able to meet a wide range of requirements and uses from our customers, while continuously innovating in this category to reflect changing consumer habits and performance expectations.
Wood has always been your material of choice. Do you think that increasingly restrictive packaging legislation in Europe is hampering your innovation strategy? How are you dealing with this situation?
Franco Lucá: Sustainability has been a core value at Faber-Castell Cosmetics for decades. Since the mid-1980s, we have invested in our own forests in Brazil to meet the highest sustainability standards throughout our value chain. When we source wood externally, we ensure that it is certified to standards such as FSC or PEFC, as are our own wood resources. And we consistently comply with all applicable laws and regulatory requirements. Today, wood-based products account for around 15% of our business. While we recognise that increasingly restrictive packaging legislation in Europe poses certain challenges, we do not see this as an obstacle to innovation. On the contrary, we see it as an opportunity to further align our products and packaging solutions with evolving consumer expectations and environmental goals. We have invested in sustainable packaging solutions that fully comply with regulatory standards while maintaining the functionality, quality and aesthetics expected by our customers. This includes increased use of recyclable, compostable and biodegradable materials, as well as evaluating alternative packaging concepts with a lower overall carbon footprint. At the same time, we actively collaborate with industry associations, policymakers and sustainability experts to stay at the forefront of regulatory developments and contribute to the development of future packaging standards that promote both environmental progress and innovation. This proactive approach not only ensures compliance, but also positions us to be at the forefront of innovation in responsible packaging. Overall, even as the regulatory landscape becomes more complex, we view it as a catalyst rather than a constraint. It pushes us to develop smarter, more sustainable solutions that reinforce our brand values and contribute to the long-term well-being of the planet. This also applies to our range of wooden pencils, where wood sourced from Faber-Castell-owned forests in Brazil enables us to offer fully FSC-certified products with a strong sustainability profile.
