Shearing comb giant Heiniger Australia expands into ‘competitive’ hairdressing industry for the first time

One of the world’s major shearing comb manufacturers is reaching for the stars and entering the hairdressing market for the first time, with plans to launch its “Intergalactic” clippers for human hair in WA next month.

The Switzerland-based Heiniger unveiled the collection at Italy’s Bologna CosmoProf beauty and fashion trade show in March and has since unveiled its When Stars Align slogan to specifically target the Australian hairdressing and beauty industry.

A range of five hairdressing clippers will be launched in WA, South Australian and New Zealand industries in October and November.

Heiniger sales, marketing and research and development general manager Dale Harris — who is based in Perth — said the premium products were “precision engineered” at its Switzerland factory where its shearing combs and products are made.

“Australia was the first market where we have marketed directly to barbers and hairdressing customers,” Mr Harris said.

“We saw a gap in the market for really high quality, professional machines.

“We are targeting the professional market, not the average consumer.”

The Intergalactic range features five different clipper types named after the Pegasus, Libertas, Orion and Sirius constellations, which have been priced from $300-$700 each.

The range includes the Pegasus Midi for precision work with combs of 0.5-2.5mm, the Pegasus Mini, Libertas T Trimmer for close shaves up to 0.3mm, and the Orion and Sirius clippers designed for thick, wet and or dry hair.

Heiniger chief executive Daniel Heiniger said the company had set itself the goal of becoming an established brand for quality orientated professionals in the hair industry within the next five years.

“(We want) to be known for not only bringing top products to market, but for the service behind those products,” Mr Heiniger said.

The company has an ambitious goal of capturing 10 per cent of the Australian fashion market, with Mr Heiniger saying the clippers were a combination of “design, engineering, motor power and blade precision that delivers outstanding performance”.

“We have been making clippers and trimmers in Switzerland for more than 75 years — this is not new to us,” he said.

Mr Harris said the company had been working on the new range “for a while” and it was part of its “business diversification” strategy.

The company, which dominates the global shearing market, expanded into dog grooming products about 10 years ago.

Mr Harris said Heiniger had employed new sales staff to oversee the education of barbers and hairdressers.

At Australia’s tri-city launch in August, Heiniger teamed up with UK barber Robert Braid, Brisbane hairdresser and international educator Jules Tognini and Brisbane barber Matthew Clarke to showcase the products.

“Each demonstrated the use and quality of the Intergalatic clippers on models, showing different haircuts for different mediums and styles,” Mr Harris (who was also a model) said.

“This is exciting new territory, but it in no way takes our focus off the shearing industry.

“Shearing is super critical to our business.”