How did Kryolan get its start?
It was just 3 months after World War 2 had ended, when Arnold, a qualified chemist, got his first business license to start a cosmetics business in the wastelands of Berlin. It all began with urgently needed commodities, such as soap and tooth paste and also some moisturizer cream.
Were there any big challenges for the brand starting out?
Yes, many. It was most difficult to obtain the needed raw materials and chemicals. In Germany it was the hour zero, infrastructure and most of the industry were destroyed, the German currency had no value.
Biggest challenges today?
Probably bureaucracy and overwhelming regulations, trade restrictions, shortage of willing and qualified staff.
Kryolan is known for a scientific approach to developing makeup. Was that always the case? Has the process of research and development changed over the years?
The approach has not really changed but today R+D is of course more professional than in the beginning. The team has grown, more modern scientific equipment is being used. Today we operate two R+D Labs, the major one in Berlin and a second in Chennai in India.
How else has the brand evolved over the years?
At the beginning it all was just theatrical, but for the last 30 years the brand covers a vast array. Just think of our Digital Complexion range, a scientifically developed makeup line for 4K and 8K camera technology. But in many areas Kryolan is also well known for beauty, especially in the Middle East, African countries, India, Pakistan but also Taiwan and China. More performance orientated raw materials enable us to create products taking the brand to new levels.
Who runs the brand now?
Kryolan is still family run and the second and third generation form the management, supported by an excellent team of experts.
Are there any key heritage products that have been with the brand since day one?
Yes, there are, e.g. Supracolor and Aquacolor and maybe we also should mention products from day two, I mean products launched in the 1960s like the Paint Sticks. And our Dermacolor range is also now around for more than 45 years.
What do you think has given Kryolan the longevity in the pro makeup industry that it has had?
I think a few reasons may apply: reliability, quality, our interest in the real professional makeup world, constant communication with professional makeup artists, trying to meet the professional requirements and also supplying the essential niche products.
What is the most satisfying part of running such an important legacy business?
That we have managed to make Kryolan an international global brand which is available in more than 80 countries worldwide.
You not only make one of the most loved brands in the industry, but you also private label for many other brands. How did that part of the business come about?
In today’s world many entrepeneurs have great business and marketing ideas, but manufacturing is entirely a different ball game. New created brands look for reliable and experienced manufacturers, who are willing to design products to their needs. This is how we got involved.
How many other brands does Kryolan make product for?
Currently we provide products to about 20 other brands in six countries.
How do you manage that balance between what’s for Kryolan and what’s for other brands?
For our private label customers we run different formulations as they traditionally serve different markets than us. We are not producing large batches and then fill the same product for many brands. That is not our way. We believe in individualism.
What are you proudest of?
That the family continued and built the company further to what my father had layed as the foundation. The family support, and especially my wife Malgosia, played a most important role in developing our production sites in Poland and India.
What is next for Kryolan?
We will not rest and new ideas are always in our minds. New exciting products are being created and developed and results will be seen soonest. And we want to win some new markets for Kryolan, especially in Africa, a market which will become more and more important in the future.
Words Michael DeVellis
Photos and Interview Wolfram Langer
