A bang for the chain

French takeover of domestic family business

The long-standing RoMa owners Robert Maurer (right) and Kommerzialrat Peter Mayer have now made a good deal with the sale.(Bild: Andreas Lepsi / LEPSIFOTO / Austria)

A big bang in the hairdressing and cosmetics segment: at the beginning of the year, the Vösendorf-based family business RoMa, a leading provider of hairdressing supplies with 90 stores in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, was taken over by the French group La Boutique du Coiffeur.

RoMa, which operates 80 hairdressing supply stores in Austria alone, has a new owner: at the beginning of the year, the French group La Boutique du Coiffeur took over the Vösendorf-based family business, including its approximately 400 employees. This merger created the largest provider of hairdressing supplies in Europe with around 320 stores and a total of 1600 employees.

The former owners are doing well
The previous RoMa owners, Robert Maurer and Kommerzialrat Peter Mayer, can be pleased that their business model of offering hairdressing supplies such as shampoos and other beauty products, including professional advice, to private customers has now paid off. They do not want to disclose how much they earned from the sale of the chain. According to reports, however, the company was worth millions and the duo is said to have made a good profit.

RoMa has 90 stores in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.(Bild: ROMA Friseurbedarf)

The acquiring group, La Boutique du Coiffeur, is a leading company in the field of professional hair care and beauty products based in Nancy (France). It was founded in 1988 and operates around 230 stores in France, Switzerland and Luxembourg.

Procurement within the large group becomes cheaper
According to RoMa, this strategic decision will enable both companies to focus on their core competencies and better serve their customer base in their respective home markets, as well as to realize purchasing synergies, i.e. procurement will become cheaper.

The RoMa chain has around 400 employees who advise customers.(Bild: Andreas Lepsi / LEPSIFOTO / Austria)

"The acquisition of RoMa Friseurbedarf represents a significant step in our strategy to further strengthen our commitment to quality and innovation in hair care," says Manager Nicolas Probst of La Boutique du Coiffeur and adds: "With our understanding of professional hair care and beauty products, we are excellently positioned to successfully integrate RoMa's network of 90 stores in Austria, Germany and Switzerland into our business processes." Together they want to set new standards in the industry.

According to the new owners "LBdC", they "not only understand the needs of hair professionals, but also bring the French beauty flair to Austria. Probst: "This step was crucial in taking RoMa to the next level. With over 30 years of experience in the industry and an extensive network of stores in France, Switzerland and Luxembourg, La Boutique du Coiffeur offers a strong foundation for growth and sustainable success."