Following the takeover of traditional brand MARBERT Straub GmbH takes over Beauty Brands International GmbH and becomes new majority shareholder

The new team from left to right: Jelto Hendriok, Markus Hendriok, Udo Heuser
The new team from left to right: Jelto Hendriok, Markus Hendriok, Udo Heuser

After a very short period of insolvency, the business operations of Beauty Brands Vertriebs GmbH were assigned to Beauty Brands International GmbH from the 1 November 2011. Thanks to the acquisition by Wertheim-based Straub GmbH, which has become the new main shareholder, the long-term continuation of the BBI business model has now been secured.

The whole team at the Baden-Baden-based company including managing director CEO Udo Heuser was kept on as part of the takeover, which means that the existing headquarters remains intact, as do the Sales, Marketing and Strategic Brand Management departments. BBI is a medium-sized license and distribution company which holds the international development and distribution licences for the brands MARBERT, BOGNER, STRENESSE and GEORGE GINA & LUCY which are distributed all over the world.

In Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, BBI operates its own field service team in addition to its license brand work for other sales brands such as ALESSANDRO INTERNATIONAL and PIZ BUIN. The BBI brand portfolio will include the STRAUB brands JOHN PLAYER SPECIAL, BETTINA BARTY and JOHANNA STRAUB in the future. BBI will also distribute the STRAUB BEAUTÉ SELECTIVE brands from 1 January 2012. The existing sales representatives from this division will be integrated into the BBI sales team. In the Netherlands and Austria, these brands will then be re-positioned with a stronger focus on perfumeries.

The private limited company Straub GmbH is a third generation family firm with headquarters in Wertheim am Main. Since its foundation in 1949, the company has become one of the leading manufacturers of high-quality care products. The wide-ranging portfolio is divided into four divisions: Straub Cosmetics (chemists), Straub Beauté Selective (perfumery retail sector), bellmira/Private Label (trademarks) and Straub Pharma (pharmacies). The acquisition of the trademark rights to the traditional German brand MARBERT is considered by the managing partners of Straub GmbH, Jelto and Markus Hendriok, as a perfect complement to their existing range of products. In the future, the whole brand portfolio of MARBERT, BOGNER, STRENESSE and GGL (George Gina & Lucy) will be developed and produced by Straub in Wertheim. The overriding aim of both companies – Straub und BBI – is further expanding their businesses in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands through their own sales organisations, as well as progressing the internationalisation of the brand portfolio.

As part of these efforts, Straub can draw on extensive experience in export business, which is also sure to benefit all BBI brands. The new founded BBI is able to provide new and additional ideas for selective Straub brands in sales, marketing and communications. In the future, both companies will focus even more on their respective core competences, making the most of synergies and operating as a medium-sized group under the umbrella of STRAUB Group.

[Text/Photo: Straub]