Beauty is in the details:

A complex structure

For more than three decades, Art Cosmetics has enjoyed a reputation as an innovative partner setting benchmarks across all market segments – from mass market to luxury. Today, the Italian company supplies more than 150 customers in European, U.S., and Middle Eastern markets and has established itself as a reliable contract manufacturer. Yet with this success story came a challenge familiar to many growing production companies: increasing complexity, which threatened precisely the customer proximity that had made Art Cosmetics strong.

“At the beginning of our collaboration with Staufen, the value stream analysis revealed a clear picture: information was highly fragmented, and visibility of the production flow was often lacking,” recalls Adriano Ambrosini, Manager for Business Process, Controlling & Reporting at Art Cosmetics. “This lack of transparency not only caused delays but also inefficiencies in material management.”

The symptoms were unmistakable: silos hindered the flow of information, and bottlenecks ran through production. Particularly critical processes for delivery capability – such as the on-time delivery of packaging materials and the approval of color shades – were hardly manageable in a predictable way. It quickly became clear: this was not about isolated improvements, but about a fundamentally new understanding of how information and materials move along the value chain.

Measuring the path to excellence

The solution began with a tried-and-tested yet highly effective method: Value Stream Mapping (VSM). This tool helped Art Cosmetics and Staufen, part of Accenture, to draw a detailed picture of all information and material flows, making hidden weaknesses and potential visible.

“We relied on a proven approach,” explains Giancarlo Oriani, Managing Director of Staufen in Italy. “With Value Stream Mapping, we were able to create transparency in processes and identify precise points for improvement. The next step was to optimize process synchronization and significantly increase controllability.”

Two key factors were at the heart of the transformation: on the one hand, the lack of transparency, as information was not consistently shared by individual teams; on the other, the urgent need to improve customer supply – particularly with regard to the on-time provision of packaging and color approvals, which had often jeopardized delivery dates.

Instead of opting for a standard solution, the project team launched a pilot project in the powder products division – the product category most affected by the identified weaknesses. This pilot initiative was to serve as a proof of concept before the new approach was rolled out across the entire company.

Redesign with impact

Following the value stream analysis came the consistent redesign. In close collaboration across all departments – from procurement to sales – planning processes were reorganized and special programs for schedule management were introduced. This was not only about optimizing existing workflows but also about a fundamental shift in cross-functional collaboration.

“The project with Staufen has advanced our company above all in terms of organization and production technology,” emphasizes Nicola Azzaretti, Chief Operating Officer of Art Cosmetics. “We redefined roles and responsibilities, improved planning and control processes, and set short-, medium-, and long-term goals more clearly.”

Production also benefited significantly. The team analyzed the causes of downtimes, launched targeted initiatives, reduced waiting times, and optimized both material flow and internal logistics. All of this was not a set of isolated measures but part of a systematic strategy for operational excellence.

The foundation of transformation

The realignment brought four key improvements that sustainably changed the way Art Cosmetics works:

• New roles and responsibilities: Clear accountabilities replaced previous ambiguities, making decision-making faster and more transparent.
• Streamlined production workflows: By consistently eliminating waste and bottlenecks, processes became smoother and more reliable.
• Standardized working methods and tools: Uniform approaches reduced deviations and increased quality.
• Optimized production cycles: The time from order intake to delivery was significantly shortened.

Particularly impactful was the introduction of centralized documentation and structured meetings – a seemingly small step with a major effect on communication and alignment within the company.

“We completely redesigned the scheduling process and integrated specialized systems,” reports Adriano Ambrosini. “This allowed us to significantly increase the service level and delivery performance. This is just the beginning, but the path is clear: we are building an efficient, responsive production chain that consistently meets customer requirements.”

Measurable success

The results speak both for the approach and for Art Cosmetics’ commitment: lead times – the period from order intake to completion – were reduced by 20 percent. Even more impressive: on-time delivery improved by 30 percent, a decisive factor for customer satisfaction in the contract manufacturing business.

“I can say with great satisfaction that our commitment at Art Cosmetics has been a complete success,” concludes Giancarlo Oriani. “The objectives were clear: shorter lead times and higher on-time delivery – and that is exactly what we achieved.”

These advances are more than just operational KPIs. They strengthen Art Cosmetics’ position to compete in a market where brand owners demand ever faster time-to-market and absolute reliability.