18. THE SOAP MAKERS
Europe has over 600 soap producers grouped together into
national federations*. The market is dominated by 4 multinationals who alone
control over 95% of the European soap market**. These multinationals are
· Colgate Palmolive
(USA)
· Henkel (Germany)
· Procter & Gamble
· (USA) Unilever (UK)
* Addresses in the annex.
** It should be noted that in Europe, "hard" soaps are quickly
being displaced by soaps in cream or gel form, a market trend which has led to a
restructuring of production centres. Hence Unilever now has just one soap
factory, and its output has fallen from 40,000 t/year to 25,000 t/year in 5
years. This change in consumption has led to the closure of countless production
lines, which then become available for dismantling and possible re-assembly in
developing countries.
Through subsidiaries which are more or less independent, they
are also present in various ACP countries in which there is strong local and/or
sub-regional market potential for high-grade soaps (brand image associated with
the name of the soap). Geographical location depends on their global strategy or
on the existence of tariff barriers preventing market penetration. Their
assistance could be envisaged, provided it is not in competition with their own
subsidiaries.
Besides these soap giants who occupy the core of the market,
there are a series of (small and medium-sized) soap factories which market soap
in more specialised market segments (e.g. soaps for industry, hotels,
perfumeries, pharmacies etc. and for export), which
should be particularly suitable partners for ACP promoters. These soap
factories, which are developing in a somewhat saturated market, could enter into
industrial and/or commercial collaboration as a way of diversifying their
activities through geographical expansion. They might in
theory be interested in:
· management
contracts,
· assistance with the
development and marketing of new products,
· general aid and consultancy
(technical assistance, information, contacts),
· other forms of collaboration
and partnership (joint ventures, marketing agreements, licensing, franchising,
subcontracting etc.).
By way of example, we can mention the following firms*:
|
 QUIMIGAL
Lisbon, Portugal
|
One of Portugal's leading chemical companies, which manufactures
and exports soaps (20,000 t/year) and detergents (60,000 t/year), amongst other
activities. Commissioning and training support, financed by the CDI, as part of
the SOCITO/Togo project. Partnership in Angola and Mozambique. |
|
SA.NA.MI
Milan, Italy |
Has all tank saponification technology. Is diversifying into
continuous saponification. Three finishing lines. |
|
SAVOSUL
Lisbon, Portugal |
Portuguese producer exporting ± 80% of its liquid soap
production to Portuguese-speaking African countries. Joint venture with
ALICERCE, Cape Verde, for the execution of a laundry and toilet soap production
unit and the transfer of its simple technology. Intervention financed by the
CDI. |
|
S.N.S. Lda
Lisbon, Portugal
|
Portuguese soap maker (250 people + oil mill + margarine
production unit) with soap production capacity of 50,000 t/year of which ±
90% is exported to ACP countries. Exports to Angola, Cape Verde Islands and
Guinea. Experience in technical support and training for a soap factory in
Angola. Interested in relocating its soap-making activities and entering into
joint-venture agreements for soap production and trading. |
Soap makers are still businesspeople who are primarily
interested in marketing their own products. The competitive position must be
evaluated before any commitment is made, whether they themselves are the
exporter or the main supplier of soap to a manufacturer who is the exporter. A
further constraint is the fact that the structure of small soap factories,
themselves small and medium-sized businesses, does not allow them to second an
executive to provide long-term support.
This is why it is not possible in this technological inventory
to identify those soap makers likely to be interested in industrial
collaboration. Any collaboration of this type must be studied on a case-by-case
basis. For information purposes, a list of soap makers (and over 600 are members
of professional associations) can be obtained from the different federations*.
