Interview with Simone Baratta, director of the Beauty division at Bormioli Luigi

A historic partner for brands, Bormioli Luigi pays tribute to the Italian art of glassmaking both in Europe and worldwide. Its innovation and industrial excellence make for iconic launches, unique glass shapes, and innovative decoration solutions. The group is increasingly adapting its offer to meet demand from emerging beauty brands, notably from the U.S. It is doing so with a catalog of ready-to-go products, Italy-U.S. advisory services, and guaranteed lead times and supply chain.

How is Bormioli Luigi positioned in its markets?

Bormioli Luigi is a family-owned company synonymous with the Italian art of glassmaking in Europe, beyond its national borders. Our group is investing and innovating in favor of packaging solutions that are fully adapted to market expectations: perfumery, skincare, makeup, and home fragrance. Our ambition is to act as a partner with our customers worldwide by prioritizing commercial, industrial, and logistical proximity.

We continuously invest in our industrial capacity, as witnessed by our advances in electric furnaces and projects targeting optimized processes and energy usage. Bormioli Luigi has manufacturing and decoration facilities in Italy, Spain, and France, as well as logistics platforms and industrial partners in the Americas. Our customer service is based on partnership and industrial excellence (capacity and expertise in processes), whether for small or large production runs and whatever a product’s positioning, from premium to mass. 

What is your approach for the Americas?

We have adapted our model to the specifics of the American market, whether for major brands or emerging players (indie brands, private label…).

For the latter, we observe trends and analyze consumer expectations in order to be proactive. We have greatly reinforced our presence in the Americas to provide our customers with a tailored offer.

The American team, based in New York, is backed by a solid Italian back office, from sales teams to logistics. The team in Italy studies market needs and opportunities. Under the responsibility of a project manager, the team undertakes feasibility studies, value analysis, and cost assessments—and studies the most sustainable options for each brief. In direct interaction with the U.S., the team works in real time to bring projects to fruition in the Americas.

Thanks to this solid organization, the American team can be more proactive and flexible. This agility, associated with additional industrial capacity, plays in favor of reduced lead times. The group owes the growth of its industrial capacity to new investments, notably in its Spanish factory, which now includes the “Afterglass Spain” decoration workshop.

How do you secure your supply chain in the Americas? 

Our presence in the Americas is not new. Over the years, we have reinforced our proximity to become more agile and reduce our lead times. Today, we have local industrial facilities and logistics platforms that are close to local markets. We have partnerships with industrial players throughout the value chain, from raw materials to decoration, via upstream and downstream storage.

On the one hand, our Italian industrial capacity and services respond to the need for large-scale production and, on the other, we are equipped to cater to demand from young brands for small and medium production runs. In this way, our value chain is completely secure. To serve emerging brands and accompany them with a turnkey offer, we have a range of standard products that are more accessible for developments with record lead times.

Can you describe this standard offer?

Our standard offer has existed for some time, but this year, we have completely restructured it in line with the evolution of demand.

Since its creation, our catalog has continuously evolved and diversified with bottles for fragrance and skincare, glass jars including Reverre in a refillable version, a range of products for makeup including a refillable lipstick, and items for the home (for candles and home fragrance). There are also caps and accessories for a turnkey offer.

At the heart of our offer, the ecoLine range, dedicated to fragrance and skincare, stands out for lightweight products in various formats. It is the subject of continuous innovation regarding glass composition and lightweighting.

This standard range marks the diversification of our commercial offer. It provides greater flexibility to brands wanting to develop short production runs without compromising on quality within a limited timeframe, benefiting from ready-to-go service.

Do you see the market for major launches as distinct from that of emerging brands? 

Of course! That’s what makes our profession so rich. While major brands are equipped for big production runs, with dedicated teams, young brands need ready-to-go solutions that are developed along eco-design principles. We accompany them in this, from the choice of the model to its personalization through decoration, which we manage for them. Our teams are capable of helping them to design a product with a strong identity and to deliver the best recommendations at each step in its development.

Whether it’s a standard product or a bespoke development, packaging delivers an identity. Certain consumers even choose a fragrance based on the aura of its packaging. The wow effect is still in fashion. Distinctive glass shapes, glass weight, sophisticated décor and accessories all contribute to desirability. It is our role to offer quality designs and innovative solutions that are already validated.

Whether for ready-to-go or bespoke developments, Bormioli’s product and service quality are identical. This is just as true in the US, where we have a solid organization that is fully adjusted to the specifics of the market.

The New York team, led by Jennifer Duffy, participates in numerous trade shows, and will be at Luxe Pack New York, for instance, on May 7-8. A team from Italy will also be there to offer support.