OPI Products

OPI Products, Inc.

Type	Private
Founded	1981
Headquarters	North Hollywood, California
Key people	George Schaeffer, CEO/President Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Executive VP/Artistic Director
Products	Professional Nail Care
Employees	500 +
Parent	Coty, Inc.
Website	www.OPI.com

OPI Products is a nail lacquer manufacturer located in North Hollywood, California. Located on a 7 acre lot, all manufacturing, shipping and corporate operations are done from the North Hollywood location. OPI creates two seasonal collections yearly that consist of 12 shades inspired by the geographical location chosen for each collection.

History

OPI, originally named Odontorium Products Inc., was a small dental supply company purchased by current OPI CEO and President George Schaeffer in 1981. Shortly after taking over the company, Schaeffer was joined by his sister-in-law Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI’s Executive Vice President and Artistic Director. Both noticed nail technicians were purchasing the acrylic porcelains, used to make dentures for crafting artificial nails. Recognizing the potential of offering a superior and safer version of acrylics to nail professional, Schaeffer and Weiss-Fischmann partnered with a chemist and created what would be known today as the “Rubber Band Special”-an acrylic system that Schaeffer sold door-to-door to local nail salons. Schaeffer ended his dental sales and focused entirely on professional nail products. Keeping the letters from the original company name, OPI Products Inc. was born.

In 1989, OPI expanded its portfolio. It released its first line of nail lacquers, which consisted of such colors as “Alpine Snow”, “Coney Island Cotton Candy”, “OPI Red”, and “Big Apple Red”-all are still part of OPI’s collection of over 200 shades. OPI continued to develop its product range. Over the years the company has partnered with and created colors for various brands, celebrities and film studios. In 2003, OPI created a Legally Blonde 2 collection that was also featured in the film.^[1] Collaborations that have followed include Ford Mustang, Alice in Wonderland (2009),^[2] Dell (2009),^[3] Shrek (2010), Burlesque (2010), Katie Perry (2011), Serena Williams (2011), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), Miss Universe (2011), and Muppets (2011).

In 2003, OPI launched a nail polish line for dogs called Pawlish that received mixed reviews.^[4]

In 2007, after pressure from the EPA and the organization Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, OPI reformulated its nail lacquers and eliminated chemicals DBP (dibutyl phthalate), formaldehyde and toluene. In a statement from OPI legal counsel Eric Schwartz to the Women’s Voices for the Earth addressing the removal of the three chemicals Schwartz said, "Before closing, I want to emphasize that we, and other scientists and regulators, continue to believe that the products that we, and others, have sold for decades are safe. As you know, much of the concern about the above ingredients emanates from potential exposures in industrial, factory settings where the exposures are much, much higher than in finished nail care products."

OPI introduced the industry's first UV-lamp manicure, Axxium Gels, and then took it a step further with Axxium Soak-Off Gels.^[5]

In 2010, OPI was acquired by Coty, Inc., the world’s largest fragrance company. It was released in a joint statement that OPI operations would not change.

Brands

To meet the needs of the retail market, OPI launched the Nicole by OPI brand, named after Schaeffer’s daughter Nicole Schaeffer in 1997. While OPI is a salon professional brand, Nicole by OPI retails at such locations as Target, Walmart, Meijer, ULTA and various international locations.

Philanthropy

OPI is known for its philanthropic involvement in multiple organizations that promote health and education. President and CEO George Schaeffer established the Schaeffer Family Foundation in (2000/2004)^{[clarification needed]} to offer aid to organizations such as the Leukemia Research Foundation, Rock the Vote and Project Hope International, among many others. After such disasters as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, OPI employees banded together and raised $350,000 for the American Red Cross ^[6]. Schaeffer also provides support to OPI staff by offering college scholarships and computers to the children of OPI employees.^[7] OPI created exclusive lacquers shades for the Lung Cancer Foundation of America, the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross. Since 2006, OPI has supported the breast cancer awareness organization Susan G. Komen for the Cure, with its exclusive shade series, Pink of Hearts.^[8]

Criticism

References

1. ^ Lu-Lien Tan, Cheryl (2003-07-06). "Clothes Encounters; As the fashion world grows more aggressive about marketing clothes in movies, some wonder if hot films are beginning to resemble stylish ads". The Baltimore Sun: p. 1.N. 
2. ^ Fierro, Dina (2009-12-24). "OPI goes through the looking glass". The Gloss. http://thegloss.com/beauty/opi-goes-through-the-looking-glass/. Retrieved 2010-12-10. 
3. ^ "Industry Leaders Dell and OPI Partner to Deliver a New, Polished Laptop Collection". Reuters. 2009-10-07. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS144156+07-Oct-2009+BW20091007/. Retrieved 2010-12-10. 
4. ^ Donaldson-Evans, Catherine (2003-09-23). "Pups Panting for "Pawlished" Nails". Fox News. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,98000,00.html. Retrieved 2010-12-20. 
5. ^ Saint Louis, Catherine (2010-04-19). "Yes, This Manicure Is 12 Days Old". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/fashion/22Skin.html?_r=1&src=twt&twt=nytimesstyle. Retrieved 2010-12-15. 
6. ^ http://www.nailsmag.com/news/40095/OPI-Donates-More-Than-300000-to-Hurricane-Katrina-Survivors
7. ^ "Giving Something Back". www.opi.com. http://x.opi.com/AboutPhilanthropyMain.asp. Retrieved 2010-12-29. 
8. ^ Salapatek, Lauren (2010-09-10). "Pink of Hearts for Charity". Modern Salon. http://modernsalon.com/OPI-Pink-of-Hearts-for-Charity/2010-09-10/Blog.aspx?oid=1233273&fid=MS_BLOG&aid=1674&cid=1233273. Retrieved 2010-12-28. 

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