At least that’s what Tweezerman’s Dr. Connie Wittke suggested to Beauty Insider as she pointed to technology as the likely culprit behind the noise in the nail category: “The rise in sales of nail items is being driven by the prevalance of touch screens, making fingers so much more on display.”
That’s a good thing for the Chief Executive Officer and President of Tweezerman International, as her firm is about to get an injection of color.
The beauty tools’ parent company, Zwilling J.A. Henckels AG, has acquired a majority share of Alessandro International GmbH, a leading European professional brand that makes of a wide range of nail polishes, and semi permanent and permanent UV gels. Alessandro is also known for its comprehensive hand, nail and foot treatment systems.
“The nail category keeps growing at a fast pace, and Alessandro…is not a one-size fits all solution company. It offers a unique assortment of premium nail color and care with a European touch that we think will do very well in North America and Asia, which are currently very strong regions for Tweezerman and Zwilling Beauty,” said Dr. Wittke.
Details of the acquisition were not disclosed; the deal is still pending regulatory approval.
Alessandro, based in Langenfeld, Germany, will target Tweezerman’s U.S. retail distribution base in 2013, which includes salons and specialty stores. The nail color brand’s timing couldn’t be better as the U.S. nail category is booming. According to NPD, sales of nail products catapulted 60 percent in 2011.
Tweezerman and Alessandro will offer retailers and salons a one-stop-shop for hands and feet—from tools to sculpting items to color and care products. Alessandro also operates 30 training centers and academies throughout Europe.
Alessandro’s nail brands include Lac, which is a UV-gel brand; and Go Magic!, an umbrella for Alessandro’s“effects” line of polishes.
Zwilling J.A. Henckels is owned by the Werhahn Group, and is based in Neuss, Germany.