Cosmetics industry : Cosmestic Valley multiplies partnerships

Cosmetic Valley, the French association based in the Centre-Val de Loire region, whose mission is to support and promote the cosmetics and perfumery industry, met on February 9 at the Château de Versailles. At the heart of its strategy : multiplying partnerships with other regions where the cosmetics industry flourishes, whether in France or in Europe.

The cosmetics industry in France is prolific. With 3,200 companies and 250,000 direct jobs, it is even the world leader in its sector. The industry has just published its figures on February 7, which show its export performance in 2022 : it has broken a record of annual growth at 18.8%, and even nearly + 30% in the United States and the Middle East. China has obviously experienced less growth, but the recovery of activities and holidays suggest a rebound, according to the Cosmetic Valley. The latter was therefore able to exceed 19 billion euros in export sales. With such results, the cosmetics industry is the third largest player in foreign trade behind aerospace and wines and spirits.

The Cosmetic Valley has clearly understood the importance of building strong and lasting relationships with public authorities. The industry’s competitiveness cluster, based in the Centre-Val de Loire region, thus wishes to build structured partnerships to support the development of its industry, with the assistance of local, national and European authorities.

Fostering the cosmetics ecosystem in Europe

At the end of 2020, the European Commission decided to fund the Horizon Europe ACTT4Cosmetics program with €3.6 billion over 5 years. This project aims to foster the creation of a more efficient, open, inclusive and interconnected European innovation ecosystem in the field of cosmetics. The aim is to unite, around Cosmetic Valley, the European regions that are also betting on cosmetics and put it at the heart of their attractiveness strategies in the areas of artificial intelligence, transparency and employment. But the ACTT4Cosmetics project also aims to integrate the entire value chain of the cosmetics industry to implement structural changes such as digital and ecological transitions.

This initiative had already begun in 2021 with the design and implementation in the Loire Valley of the thematic platform S3 Go4Cosmetics. In close collaboration with the Cosmetic Valley cluster and the Region, DEV’UP Centre-Val de Loire, an organization in charge of economic development and business support, had actively participated. Focusing on the value chain, S3 Go4Cosmetics aims to generate new interactions between European actors in the cosmetics industry, but also to promote investment and new projects in research and development. Within the framework of the European interregional platform Go4, Cosmetics and with the help of the Centre- Val de Loire Region, Cosmetic Valley has also opened a branch in Brussels in early 2022.