After an investment of £4 million, Cyprus can boast its own high-tech cosmetics factory
LABORATORIES, hi-tech conference rooms, people in white coats and huge machines. Welcome to the fascinating world of the Neoderma cosmetic factory, built with a total investment of more than £4 million.
Neoderma is currently the number one seller in the Netherlands. It all started in 1992 with a small budget and a huge amount of stress on Rolandos Loizou’s shoulders. “I started Neoderma 12 years ago in Limassol being very optimistic that it would work out and thankfully it did,” he said. Rolandos is chairman of the company and founder of the CSE listed Rolandos Enterprises. However, Neoderma wasn’t always so successful, resulting in a loss-making venture several years ago. “Those days, there weren’t any legislation laws regarding packaging or specific ingredients that could be used. You could sell urine in a jar and people would buy it,” Rolandos said, “but I wanted to do things right and I pushed for the best, so that really didn’t work in a market where people couldn’t care less.”
Neoderma was, and is still, based on one philosophy: Back to nature. Back then, it might have been considered risky but in today’s world it is viewed in a completely different way.
Neoderma is now sold in over 20 countries in Europe and Asia, and was recently voted number one in the Netherlands, winning a professional use award. “A group of people carried out research into beauty salons in Holland and Neoderma was the brand that most clients were happy with and kept coming back for more,” said Rolandos.
Although the Limassol factory had got the brand off to a solid start, it was time to invest in something more progressive. “I wanted to be able to make and produce my own products under strict surveillance and in a perfect working environment,” Rolandos explained.
Everything from the chairs in the diner to the beakers on the laboratory counters are handpicked by the man himself. The factory and the head offices are imposing and modern. Hallways and conference rooms are huge, while the factory itself is connected to the head offices via an internal bridge. “Due to the fact that we personally train all beauticians who use Neoderma, a conference room was in need,” said Rolandos pushing a door open. Inside was a small amphitheatre with three large blinds onto which images and training materials are projected. “The only thing that works manually in here are the doors,” Rolandos said, “other than that, everything is controlled by a little box.”
The building has it’s own beauty salon with high tech equipment, where beauticians practice on each other. The factory itself is spotless and white. Very white. ‘No entry’ signs are seen everywhere while on the other side of double glazed windows people are working hard. “This is where everything happens,” explained Rolandos, “and this is where everything is checked out.” All herbs, a major part of the ingredients, go straight to the lab to get checked. Then all the ingredients are gathered onto a trolley and taken for a weigh up. “It’s very important that each ingredient is exact, so we always weigh it four times instead of two, which is the normal formality,” said Rolandos, “then it is slowly poured into boiler. Our equipment can tell us exactly how many degrees are required and if there is any sign of bacteria.” Once all that is done, the product goes for packaging. “The product is pumped from a barrel and placed into bottles which are closed and sealed by the machine itself,” the chairman explained.
Even if packaging matters and results are what keep us coming back for more, Rolandos has demonstrated just how important the whole game is. “I’ve heard people saying that if anybody set foot into a cosmetics factory, they really wouldn’t want to even use perfume,” he said, “I’m hoping to banish that and show that it’s safe and good to use these products.” Neoderma has been known to cure skin problems such as acne, scars and age spots. Although it is distributed for professional use, a beautician could supply her client with the range of Neoderma in order to continue her therapy. Neoderma also produces it’s own make-up range with everything from brushes to lipsticks, again all natural.
l For your nearest beauty salon Tel: 22 517222
