Step into HCT Group’s new showroom in midtown Manhattan, and you’ll be instantly awed and energized by both the bird’s-eye view of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and bustling 5th Avenue—and even more by the 8,000-sq. ft. beautifully lit room arrayed with four walls of glass shelves highlighting the global supplier’s past, present and future offerings from Color Cosmetics to Skincare to Accessories.

Taking inventory, if it’s a leading beauty brand—or a soon-to-be-one—chances are HCT has developed the packaging—or the turnkey project. NARS, MAC, Laura Mercier, Hourglass,

Urban Decay, Too Faced, Bobbie Brown—are just some of the iconic names that pop out with their eye-catching forms and decorative effects. But at the same time, HCT Group is expanding the ever-growing Sephora brands, such as HUDA and many other Indie brands that are showing the largest growth opportunities.  
  
Recently, Anthony DeMarco, executive vice president of sales, HCT Group, treated Beauty Packaging to a tour, explaining the highlights and advantages of the carefully thought-out space. 

One side of the room is broken down by divisions, to explain at a glance where HCT’s array of facilities and capabilities lies: Brushes (and sponges, etc.), Metals (zamac, stamping, plating), Skincare (including airless), Turnkey Beauty, and Packaging (molding and a multitude of deco options).

Another prominent display in the room features HCT’s leading innovations in their ever-growing sustainable approach within the industry. DeMarco told Beauty Packaging, “The topic of sustainability when it comes to packaging as well as clean formulas for turnkey is of huge interest to many of our major clients. We are driven by our clients’ needs and as a result, we continue to take this very seriously. “We have made a lot of progress in allocating resources and funds in this area—from developing materials to building tools, and continue to do so as we move forward to provide the best solutions.”

HCT Group also offers what DeMarco said is “the largest line of stock packaging available in the industry,” which makes a customer’s visit to the new showroom “a comprehensive, collaborative environment in which to discuss ideas, innovate and create a vision.”

HCT has also been seeing a resurgence in the desire for stock packaging. “Due to the competitive nature of the industry, we hear about agility and speed to market all the time,” said DeMarco. “I always suggest the best approach is to take stock components and through changing the component colors and unique graphics, we can help brands create a custom look in a fraction of the time it would take to build custom tools.”  

This is the supplier’s fourth NYC showroom, each an expansion on the previous space. “Now, we basically have a 365-day trade show with both unlimited accessibility and an intimate experience,” said DeMarco.