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Convenience At Hand
Bodycare & Beauty
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Advance Biz Ltd pays great attention to quality and detail in three main categories of related products: manicure sets, cosmetics bags, and compacts with mirrors |
"We started out, about 30 years ago, with simple metal and plastic items," says Marketing Manager Francis Kwok. "They were all fairly basic low-end items, whereas our range now is more attractive, well-presented and packaged."
Today, Advance Biz manufactures manicure sets, cosmetics bags, and compacts with mirrors. Other lines include travellers' sets, pill boxes, sewing kits and lipstick boxes. There are also kitchen knife sets.
Manicure sets, mostly base metal products combined with PVC or leather, remain the firm's foundation lines. For variety, different sets may be enhanced by the addition of ribbon, lace, fabric and sequins and, more recently, more up-market materials to reach higher up the value chain.
The firm's latest best-selling range is a good indicator of how Advance Biz is progressing and moving upmarket. The series, which includes manicure sets and compacts, is easily recognized by the bold crowns or skull-and-crossbones emblazoned on the various products.
"We adopted a fashionable design approach with this series," Mr Kwok says. "Apart from using attractive materials such as genuine crystal and fine felt, the implements are more finely crafted. For example, the compacts are finished in chrome-plate."
Buyers can choose from either the crown or the skull emblem, and the colour of the felt backing can be blue, red or black. "But custom colours can also be supplied."
The range comes in handy sizes. Compacts measure about 6-7cm in diameter, while manicure sets are 8-10cm in length. "We carried out some market research and found that those sizes were most suitable for women's purses and handbags and for travel use," says Mr Kwok.
Priced from US$2-5 each FOB Hong Kong, the crown and skull range is aimed at the middle of the market and has been on offer since April 2007. "So far," says Mr Kwok, "we are doing very well in Europe and the US with this range. Our order books are full, and we are delighted with the market response."
As an example of market penetration, Mr Kwok mentions Advance Biz's business with major retail chains, including the well-known UK firms Marks & Spencer, British Home Stores and Avon. "Our Aura brand name is also available for customers," he says.
"Apart from OEM, we rely on our own designers to create a new look for each season," Mr Kwok says. "The chief designer is in Hong Kong and two more work on the Chinese mainland. In addition, we have 20 specialists in a sample development team who take suitable designs on to the pre-manufacturing stage."
Part of the Advance Biz philosophy is to keep as many production processes as possible under direct control. "We adopted this strategy at an early stage of development, and we have invested regularly in modern machinery and rapidly adjusted to new technology," Mr Kwok says.
"As a result," he adds, "whereas a competitor may be able to make, say, a cosmetics bag, it is unlikely that he can also decorate it, assimilate and combine new materials as quickly, or launch into more specialised processes. Our ability in these areas means we can bring a greater variety of one-stop-shop products to market."
Advance Biz pays equal attention to finished quality, prices and the delivery time in order to maintain excellent relations with its major buyers. "We have a comprehensive QC department, for example, and all the equipment necessary to perform suitable tests on all the raw materials and packaging," Mr Kwok insists. "We check not only for function, but also for safety."
Advance Biz exports all over the world, with Europe and the US each accounting for 40% of business while the balance is made up of goods going to Eastern Europe and Asia.
"In future, we plan to strengthen our creative team by employing highly experienced designers, both in Hong Kong and on the mainland. This development is really necessary for us in order to cope with the increasing demand we are experiencing from regular clients," notes Mr Kwok.
Additionally, Advance Biz has established a dedicated QA laboratory at the factory. This facility is equipped with an assortment of testing equipment, including carton vibration machines, plus aging and salt-spraying machines. The in-house laboratory helps the company guarantee safe and durable products and promotes greater satisfaction among customers.
It certainly appears as if Advance Biz Ltd is at the cutting edge when it comes to clean business lines.
TEXT BY TONY HENDERSON
FAST FACTS
| Advance
Biz Ltd 18/F, 10 Knutsford Terrace Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Hong Kong Tel: 852-2399-7731 Fax: 852-2399-7701 Email: info@advance-biz.com Web: www.advance-biz.com |
Year Established:
1980 Major Product Categories: manicure sets, metal boxes, cosmetics bags, kitchen knife sets Brands & Certificates: Aura Minimum Order: 1,000 pieces or sets Monthly Production Capacity: - Delivery Time: 45 days Factory Size & Location: Dongguan Workforce: 500 |
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