Perfume industry
The perfume industry is a branch of the economy that deals with the production of fragrant concentrated liquids, perfumes . A scent is an aroma that is perceived through the sense of smell ( olfactory perception ).
The European perfume industry has its origins in Grasse, France . Up until the 19th century, France and Spain were the focus of this industry, because the raw materials required grew there. The center of industry is still in Grasse today. However, with the advent of organic chemistry, fragrances could be made more and more synthetically. As a result, Germany in particular has gained strong shares.
The most famous representatives today are Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent . Although the global focus is still in France, international competition is increasing here too. In 1989, Procter and Gamble entered the perfume and cosmetics industry. In England, Reckitt Benckiser is active and in Germany, Henkel , but also Faber-Castell and Schwan-Stabilo , are active in cosmetic pencils.
The aromas as raw materials are mostly obtained as natural, nature-identical or synthetic products from the chemical industry, there are several companies specializing in fragrance and aroma production, of which the best-known German M-Dax-listed company Symrise from Holzminden is.
The perfume industry brings about 100 to 200 new fragrances onto the market every year. However, almost all of them disappear again after a few months. There are currently around 1100 different fragrances available.