EXPORTING success isn’t confined to manufacturers, one Luton company has discovered.
Nail and beauty supplier Izabelle Hammon Limited, in President Way on the Airport Executive Park, is constantly expanding its horizons.
The company is the brainchild of Izabelle Hammon, who on her arrival from South Africa in 1998, saw a gap in the market to distribute a revolutionary coloured gel nail system.
She started off from the back room of a Harpenden home.
Izabelle was granted exclusive rights for Calgel in the UK by manufacturer Calbrook Cosmetics.
Offices, distribution and importation quickly followed, initially from Mrs Hammon’s house, as the product’s popularity grew in the UK.
Izabelle Hammon realised the further growth of her business would mean venturing overseas and it wasn’t long before Calgel was launched into France and Portugal.
The need for new horizons swiftly followed, and around four years ago the organisation contacted UKTI for help venturing into Spain and Croatia.
Yvette Christy, the company’s brand strategy co-ordinator said: “I joined Izabelle almost 10 years ago and have seen the company grow in size and from strength to strength.
“I have had the pleasure in working in all departments in the company and really enjoy growing and creating awareness of the Calgel brand within Europe.
“Thanks to UKTI, I was able to attend several seminars which gave me the opportunity to talk directly to the embassies of many countries around the world and learn about their markets and, more importantly, whether there was a demand for our products. I also went on the Passport to Export programme to, among other things, expand my knowledge of ways to look for new distributors.
“All-in-all, I found the UKTI seminars very useful and their assistance second to none.”
Calgel is well known and currently successful in nine European countries with plans to expand even further into the European and beyond, into the international markets.
The beauty and nail supplier now enjoys an international fan base and is well known worldwide by professionals and celebrities as well as general consumers.
UKTI international trade advisor, Martin Keepfer, said: “Working with Izabelle Hammon has been a pleasure; they are a young and dynamic company with a fantastic and creative range of products.
“Keen to learn how to sell internationally, the company progressed through our Passport to Export programme for novice exporters, used our Overseas Market Introduction Service, Market Visit and Exhibition support services.
“As a result, the company now has successful international distributors in several new overseas markets.”