As we’ve all been racing toward the end of the year, there has been a flurry of buying activity in the pro beauty industry, and my hunch is that we’ll continue to see some more deals–maybe even one or two biggies–after Jan. 1. Last week, out here in Los Angeles where I’m based, American International Industries (aiibeauty.com) announced the acquisition of Chéci (checi.com), supplier of professional pedicure and nail products, including files, buffers and assorted nail- and footcare tools.

The line–which includes Chéci Pro foot and nail files, Arnica skin care and some excellent displays—s a superb complement to AII’s Gena and ProLinc footcare lines, and is an additional brand to the 30 or so the company already offers. (I admit that China Glaze is my personal AII favorite, followed by Woody’s Quality Men’s Grooming, then Clubman.)

With this transaction, AII president Zvi Ryzman scores a hat trick in 2007. Earlier in the year, he bought ProLinc and Woody’s.

I wish you and everyone at your store or distributorship a wonderful new year.

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

Just when I thought I could put away my 2007 pro beauty merger-and-acquisition file, along came an announcement Monday morning from Marc Spilo, president of Spilo Worldwide (spilo.com), and those talented folks who work with him at his downtown Los Angeles headquarters: Spilo Worldwide has acquired Flowery Beauty Products (floweryprofessional.com).
 
It’s a pickup that makes a lot of sense for Spilo Worldwide, already a phenomenal one-stop source for beauty store owners, managers and buyers.
 
Spilo Worldwide and Danbury, CT-based Flowery Beauty are by no means strangers. Spilo Worldwide has been a master distributor of the popular Flowery line for many years. Founded nearly 100 years ago and owned by longtime president Geoff Geils, Flowery is known for its innovative products, including the Swedish Clover Fot Fil, Purifiles, D-Files, and individual single-use D-Kits for manicures and pedicures, as well as great displays that I often rave about to other manufacturers targeting beauty stores.
 
“Flowery is one of the few companies that has served the professional beauty industry longer than we have,” says Spilo, whose own company is celebrating its 65th anniversary this year. “We’ve enjoyed a terrific relationship with the Geils family for many years, and look forward to supporting this line as the newest addition to our proprietary brands.”
 
“After so many years of putting my heart and soul into this business, I could not be leaving it in better hands,” adds Geils.
 
On page 94 of our January issue, which starts mailing from our printer tomorrow, you’ll find info on Flowery’s new Magnifile, a nail file that’s magnetized on one side and is a can’t-miss SKU. It’s available blister-carded as open stock or easily displayed using clip strips and power wings, and can be purchased in bulk and imprinted with a company logo or other information in assorted, seasonal patterns. I have no doubt that other big hits from Flowery will follow under Spilo Worldwide.
 
See you next Wednesday,
Marc

There’s great joy in Farmington Hills, MI, these days—and it’s not just because of the holiday season. Larry Gaynor, president and CEO of The Industry Source (theindustrysource.com) and its parent company, The Nailco Group (thenailcogroup.com), has formed a new business partnership with OPI Products (opi.com).

Effective Jan. 2, the full OPI line of professional nailcare products will be available by phone through the thebeautybook catalog, theindustrysource.com and in The Industry Source’s 23 professional-only beauty stores throughout Michigan and Ohio.

This is really big news in the nail sector of the professional beauty industry, and is one more major accomplishment for The Nailco Group in what has turned out to be a fantastic 2007. “OPI is a leader and an innovator in the industry,” says Gaynor, “and this is an amazing gift for The Industry Source and all our nail and spa clients.”

OPI president and CEO George Schaeffer himself spoke to The Industry Source employees on Nov. 17 about his company and its many products, first appearing as Santa Claus and later presenting Gaynor with a clock bearing the inscription “It’s OPI Time!” It certainly is. A full product listing is now available in the spring 2008 edition of thebeautybook.

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

I really like what the Professional Beauty Association (probeauty.org), the salon industry’s Scottsdale, AZ-based trade association, is up to these days. And with new, strong member leadership for 2008—Lee Rizzuto Jr. of Conair Corp. (conairpro.com) as chair of the Governing Council, NeCole Cumberlander of The Ohio Academy—Paul Mitchell Partner School (theohioacademy.com) as president of the Salon/Spa Leadership Council, Sydney Berry of Salon Services & Supplies (salonservicesnw.com) as president of the Distributor Council, and Bruce Selan of Zotos International (zotos.com) as president of the Manufacturer Council president (and as a newly elected board director of North American Beauty Events, the organization that manages Cosmoprof North America (cosmoprofnorthamerica.com), PBA’s future is bright.

The association is producing a new sales education event, the Distribution & Sales Summit, on Jan. 12-13 at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate in Orlando, FL. It will be partially co-located with TSA Symposium 12 (probeauty.org/symposium) for salon and spa owners, which continues through Jan. 15.

The summit is for professional beauty product distributor owners/principals and managers and sales consultants, as well as direct-selling manufacturers. Salon Services & Supplies, Creative Salon Concepts (creativesalonconcepts.com), Goldwell of New York (goldwellny.com), Neill Corp. (neill.net), Peninsula Beauty Supply (peninsulabeauty.com) and Raylon Corp. (raylon.com) have already committed to being there. Free tuition is available from the PBA by selling TSA Symposium tickets to salon and spa customers.

There are summit-only speaker and roundtable sessions on Jan. 12 and joint summit-symposium speaker sessions on Jan. 13, as well as numerous networking opportunities. Check out the summit invite and visit probeauty.org/summit for more details. You can register online or by calling 800/394-5436. If you’re a professional beauty product distributor, this is an event you don’t want to miss.

See you next Wednesday,
Marc