C-BON

Basic Information

Stock Code
4926
Industry
Chemicals
Category Detail
Daily Necessities & Household Products
Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
Establishment Year
January 1966
Listing Year
September 2009
Official Website
https://www.cbon.co.jp/net/
TSE Information
TSE Information
Yahoo! Finance
Yahoo! Finance
Other Companies
Kyoritsu Information & Communications, Pass, Shiseido, Mandom, KOSE, Harbor Institute, POLA ORBIS HOLDINGS, NOEVIR HOLDINGS, Premier Anti-Aging, LibertA, Axia, Lobtex, Kawanabe

Overview

C-BON is a cosmetics manufacturing and sales company in the chemical industry, founded in 1966. It features an integrated in-house production system and membership-based salons, establishing a unique position within the industry.

Current Situation

C-BON recorded net sales of approximately 12.5 billion yen in the fiscal year ended March 2019, providing high-quality cosmetics and beauty services to customers through its unique network of directly operated stores. The company has its own factory in Kamikawamachi, Tochigi Prefecture, and maintains an integrated system from development and manufacturing to sales. By operating membership beauty studios, it enhances after-sales services for customers and works to improve brand loyalty. In 2018, it introduced a skin counseling system across all stores, strengthening customer support through digital technology. In recent years, it has focused on introducing equipment that reduces environmental impact and on R&D for new products, with a long-term vision of integrating beauty and medical fields. Compared to major competitors in the industry, as a mid-sized company, it differentiates itself by focusing on product quality maintenance and building close customer relationships. Going forward, expanding the utilization of digital technology and responding to diversifying customer needs will be key to growth.

Trivia

Interesting Facts

  • Has a history of providing cosmetics to the Japanese Women's Mountaineering Team during their Everest ascent
  • Since its founding in 1966, continues integrated in-house production in Kamikawamachi, Tochigi Prefecture
  • Developed unique facial massage technology applying Oriental medicine
  • Membership directly operated salons deployed in major cities nationwide
  • Opened first directly operated store in Hokkaido in 1984
  • Early introduction of beauty counseling system contributed to improved customer satisfaction
  • C-BON Queen Building renewed as a facility fusing beauty and medicine
  • Achieved 100 directly operated stores in November 2009
  • Continues to cherish the philosophy of founder Naonori Inuzuka
  • Skin counseling system is proprietary development
  • Tochigi factory's wastewater treatment equipment recognized as model pollution prevention factory
  • Pioneer of Oriental hand-technique massage in the beauty industry
  • Handles a wide range including pharmaceuticals and quasi-drugs
  • Listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime (2013)
  • Possesses high technological capabilities in both manufacturing and R&D

Hidden Connections

  • Sports industry trust relationship due to company cosmetics selected for Japanese Women's Mountaineering Team equipment
  • Actively promoting environmental conservation activities in collaboration with Tochigi Prefecture local government
  • Conducts technology exchange and product supply with pharmaceutical companies through quasi-drugs
  • Secures different customer segments from major manufacturers through membership directly operated salons
  • Proprietary assessment technology of skin counseling system shared through inter-company collaboration
  • Strengthening growth in capital and business alliances triggered by Tokyo Stock Exchange listing
  • Beauty device technology differentiated from competitors through Nailz salon operations
  • Environmentally friendly manufacturing initiatives linked with local CSR activities

Future Outlook

Growth Drivers

  • Strengthening customer services through digital technology utilization
  • Expansion of sustainable manufacturing processes
  • Sophistication and diversification of beauty needs domestically and internationally
  • New product development fusing medicine and beauty
  • Expansion of environmentally friendly product lineup
  • Deepening of service model emphasizing customer experience
  • Expansion of products and channels for emerging markets
  • Strategies to improve loyalty of existing customers
  • Technological innovation in beauty devices
  • Strengthening of sustainability management
  • Continuous improvement of product competitiveness through R&D investment
  • Expansion of products corresponding to aging in beauty health market

Strategic Goals

  • Introduce AI beauty diagnostic systems in all stores
  • Achieve 50% plastic reduction target
  • Sustainable certified cosmetics ratio over 70%
  • Beauty-medical fusion products sales exceed 5 billion yen
  • 20% sales increase through new market development
  • Accelerate organizational reform through promotion of women's active roles
  • Maintain R&D expense to sales ratio above 5%
  • Implement regional environmental contribution activities annually
  • Directly operated stores over 150 in major cities nationwide
  • Maintain customer satisfaction above 90%

Business Segments

Product Supply for Beauty Salons

Overview
Provides products and services to professional beauty salons to improve customer experience.
Competitiveness
Close service provision to customers leveraging directly operated stores
Customers
  • Directly operated beauty studios
  • Membership salons
  • Beauty parlors
  • Nail salons
Products
  • Facial cosmetics
  • Massage beauty devices
  • Nail care supplies
  • Beauty counseling systems

Pharmaceutical-Related Products

Overview
Supports medical field sites through manufacturing and sales of pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
Competitiveness
Product development capabilities by fusing cosmetics technology
Customers
  • Medical device distributors
  • Pharmaceutical wholesalers
  • Pharmaceutical companies
  • Medical institutions
Products
  • Over-the-counter drugs
  • Quasi-drugs
  • Medical devices

Logistics & R&D Support

Overview
Provides infrastructure related to research, development, and production.
Competitiveness
Production technology that supports integrated in-house manufacturing system
Customers
  • Group subsidiaries
  • External research institutions
Products
  • Technical support from R&D center
  • Manufacturing support from production center

Competitive Advantage

Strengths

  • Quality control capabilities through integrated in-house manufacturing
  • Customer-close sales via membership salons
  • Unique Oriental-style facial massage technology
  • Long years of experience and know-how in the beauty industry
  • Introduction of skin counseling system
  • Integrated system for R&D and manufacturing
  • Stable expansion of directly operated store network
  • Expertise in manufacturing and selling pharmaceuticals
  • Approach fusing beauty and medicine
  • Introduction of environmentally low-impact equipment
  • High customer loyalty brand
  • Solid management structure and stable capital
  • Reliability as a listed company
  • Manufacturing base location rooted in the region
  • Service provision utilizing information technology

Competitive Advantages

  • Continuous service provision through membership salons not found in other companies
  • Maintains high quality through integrated production at own factories
  • Unique counseling technology utilizing skin analysis system
  • Product differentiation through technology fusion of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics
  • Development of beauty technology applying Oriental medicine theory
  • Efficient operations through information linkage between stores and manufacturing
  • Operation of comprehensive beauty buildings connecting beauty and medicine
  • Building strong trust relationships with long-term customers
  • Product rollout tailored to regional characteristics
  • Manufacturing system conscious of environmental conservation
  • Customer data utilization with introduction of latest technology
  • Brand recognition and reliability of proprietary brands
  • Securing broad customer base through utilization of diverse sales channels
  • Fundraising capabilities from Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime listing
  • Sense of security from track record in manufacturing and selling quasi-drugs

Threats

  • Intensifying competition with major cosmetics manufacturers
  • Difficulty responding to diversifying beauty needs of consumers
  • Burden of product improvements due to strengthened cosmetics ingredient regulations
  • Risk of fluctuations in raw material prices
  • Market fragmentation due to increase in new entrant brands
  • Decrease in store visitors due to impacts like COVID-19
  • Risk of lagging in digitalization competition
  • Rising manufacturing costs due to strengthened environmental regulations
  • Impact of exchange rate fluctuations on imported raw material costs
  • Risk of customer information leakage
  • Changes in target market due to aging society
  • Improvement in competitors' R&D capabilities

Innovations

2024: Advanced Skin Counseling System

Overview
Achieved higher accuracy in beauty data analysis through AI introduction and realization of personalized optimal proposals.
Impact
Achieved improvements in customer satisfaction and repeat rate.

2023: Expansion of R&D Center Facilities

Overview
Accelerated discovery of new ingredients and product development through introduction of latest analytical equipment.
Impact
Number of new product launches increased 20% year-over-year.

2022: Introduction of Environmentally Friendly Production Line

Overview
Implemented optimization of wastewater treatment equipment and improved energy use efficiency.
Impact
Successfully reduced CO2 emissions by 15%.

2021: Refresh of Membership Salon Services

Overview
Developed and provided new menus using Oriental-style facial massage technology.
Impact
Realized increase in customer spend per visit and service differentiation.

2020: Launch of Online Counseling

Overview
Introduced remote beauty consultation service in response to novel coronavirus.
Impact
Enabled customer retention even during pandemic expansion.

Sustainability

  • Continuously strengthening factory wastewater purification equipment
  • Efforts to reduce plastic packaging
  • Promotion of resource-saving manufacturing processes
  • Participation in local environmental conservation activities
  • In-house recycling promotion activities
  • Establishment of sustainable raw material procurement policy
  • Implementation of employee environmental awareness education
  • Strict management of chemical substances
  • Change to environmentally friendly consumables used in salons
  • Introduction of energy-saving equipment
  • Regular publication of environmental reports
  • Promotion of coexistence with local communities