Austria: Styx strives for stronger presence in Western Europe

Russia, Poland and Ukraine plus China, Taiwan and South Korea are the markets where the Austrian natural cosmetics manufacturer Styx would like to expand. This traditional company in Ober-Grafendorf near St.Pölten, having managed to become the most important natural cosmetics brand in Russia, is now planning to increase the presence of its brands in Germany and France. Styx is prepared to take advantage of any marketing channel. Health food stores, wholefood and natural cosmetics shops as well as pharmacies and drugstores are all on its wish list.

Germany was the first foreign market that Wolfgang Stix (picture on left) targeted in 1984 after taking over the company from his father. At the end of the 1980s, the export business was expanded rapidly by founding agencies and subsidiaries in Europe (Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Rumania and Russia) and worldwide (USA. Australia and Thailand among others). Today, exports account for 70 % of the total turnover of 26 million euros. Their natural cosmetics Made in Austria are supplied to 42 countries around the globe. (Picture on right: Styx is regularly represented at Vivaness)
 

Expansion in Russia is a success story. It began in 1994. Wolfgang Stix made it his personal mission to conquer the Russian market, that at the time was undeveloped in terms of natural cosmetics. He found a reliable partner with whom he developed a shop-in-shop concept and built up sales. Now Styx supplies 4,700 outlets in Russia with a large part of the product portfolio. You find the products from Austria, that are very well known in Russia, mainly in pharmacies and drugstores. (Picture: Styx is present in many locations in Russia with sales stands and the shop-in-shop format)

“The Russian market still has a lot of potential,” says the marketing and sales manager Andreas Bukowski (picture on left). “From the headquarters in Moscow we’re going to open up the east of Russia by creating more distribution centres. Moreover, our success in Russia and the confidence that the brand enjoys there radiates out to other east European and Asian markets,” he explains. Poland and Ukraine have shown promising development, and he finds China and Taiwan at an interesting stage. Bukowski says that the subsidiary, that is operated by a partner in China, is experiencing pleasing growth. In the Arab world too Styx’s experience of new customers has been positive: “People showing an interest in Saudi Arabia are thrilled by Styx.” (Picture on right: Saudi Arabia is one of the partner countries with the best prospects)
 

Success in distant markets is very pleasing, but in future Styx wants also to focus more on the important natural cosmetics markets closer to home. Its products are found in around 1000 shops in Austria. “That number can certainly be increased,” says Bukowski. However, his main interest is the German market: “Germany is the most important market and has the highest turnover of natural cosmetics in Europe, and Styx ought to have a stronger presence there.” Spearheading expansion in this fiercely contested market will be the bestsellers in their product offer. “The shea butter range, the sports range Chin Min and our traditional potato hand balsam are ideal products for the wholefood and health food trade and for pharmacies and drugstores,” says Bukowski. They will be followed by more product ranges from the company’s wide assortment. (Picture: Styx shop in Vienna)
 

The company portfolio comprises 750 natural cosmetics products and several brands, ranging from the anti-ageing line Rosengarten, the ranges Aromatherapie and Kräutergarten to products for babies and men, sun cosmetics and Moor Kosmetik. About half of the products belong to the brand Aroma Derm, the range developed by Michaela Stix together with a treatment concept for professional cosmeticians and wellness hotels and spas. Styx offers training courses for professional users of these products (Styx Academy) as well as many accessories for treatments and customer care. (Picture: A treatment concept accompanies the spa line)
 

To promote its cosmetics products, Styx has relied on its own quality standards, that are basically in compliance with the guidelines for controlled natural cosmetics. Their packaging carries the IHV logo against animal testing and the logo of the organic certification organization Lacon. None of the logos for controlled natural cosmetics (BDIH, Ecocert, Natrue etc.) has so far been used, but that is about to change, with Styx having decided on Ecocert. The French monitoring and certification organization operates worldwide, and the Ecocert logo for natural cosmetics is very well known internationally. “We’ll have our extensive product range progressively certified and provided with the Ecocert logo,” says Bukowski. (Picture: The comprehensive product range is on sale in the Styx shop at the headquarters in Ober-Grafendorf and in Styx stores)
 

In the works in Ober-Grafendorf, about 100,000 packs of the various Styx brands are filled every day in compliance with pharmaceutical standards. This is also the location of product development and the laboratory. For selling its products abroad, Styx relies on strong local partners. In Austria and Germany, colleagues in the field service look after wholesale and retail customers. The company is especially involved in sponsoring sport in Austria. So, for example, you always find Styx present with its sports balsam Chin Min and a massage tent at Ironman competitions. The company’s homepage reports various sports events where athletes use Styx products: the European Triathlon champion and Austrian-by-choice Yvonne van Vlerken (picture) swears by Chin Min, and the Austrian tennis professional Jürgen Melzer has been advertising the men’s range Styx Men for years. (Picture: Styx sponsors sport)
 

“All in all, the basic preconditions for placing our products in more countries are really good,” Andreas Bukowski explains. “We’re very confident about continuing our expansion course.” He adds that, to profile the company, it intends to communicate more powerfully its green side. “As far as sustainability is concerned, we can already show our credentials with a woodchip plant for producing energy and our 100 % use of eco-electricity at our
Ober-Grafendorf location.” In the year ahead, they’re also going to install their own solar electricity generation to ensure a completely independent and environmentally friendly power supply.