Company Profile · Top Distributors
Gieseke cosmetic International GmbH
Founded: 1983, by Otto Rumpfkeil · family roots since 1956
Headquarters: Auf dem Kessellande 1, 30900 Wedemark, Germany
Website: gieseke.com
Phone: +49 (0)5130 58 600
Email: —
Region: Germany & Austria · HQ Wedemark
Core business: Wholesale distribution of professional hairdressing and cosmetic products across Germany and Austria, with 25+ exclusive brand partnerships, an in-house academy (Unique Way Akademie) and 18 Care for Hair retail shops.
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Company Presentation
Gieseke cosmetic traces its roots to 1956, when Otto and Irmtraut Rumpfkeil opened their own hairdressing salon in Hannover. In 1983 Otto Rumpfkeil founded Gieseke as a dedicated wholesale business for hairdressers, initially operating from the premises and with part of the staff of the former company GHT.
Since 1997 the second generation, led by Managing Director Hendrik Rumpfkeil, has steered the company's growth into exclusive brand distribution, digital ordering and professional education, with the third generation (Björn Rumpfkeil) joining the family business in 2014.
Today Gieseke cosmetic International GmbH is one of the largest suppliers of hairdressing and cosmetic products in Germany and Austria, combining wholesale distribution of over 25 exclusive brands with industry-standard brands, a dedicated training academy (Unique Way Akademie), and a network of physical retail stores (Care for Hair Shops) alongside its B2B online shop.
At a Glance
Key People (Founders)
Otto Rumpfkeil
Founder (1983); salon co-founder with Irmtraut Rumpfkeil (1956)
Hendrik Rumpfkeil
Managing Director (Geschäftsführer) since 1997 — second generation
Björn Rumpfkeil
Third generation, joined family business in 2014
Business Activities
Exclusive Brand Distribution
25+ salon-exclusive international brands distributed with dedicated partnership agreements, alongside major industry brands available more broadly.
Own-Brand Development
Launched its first proprietary professional brand, Swiss-o-Par PROFI LINE, in 1997 — still part of the current Profiline range.
B2B E-commerce & Ordering
24/7 B2B online shop (since 2000), plus WhatsApp ordering and advisory channel (added 2025) for flexible, salon-friendly purchasing.
Retail Network (Care for Hair)
18 Care for Hair physical stores offering in-person browsing, consultation and collection alongside online ordering.
Education (Unique Way Akademie)
In-house training academy delivering 1,000+ seminars per year across Germany and Austria, held both in dedicated training rooms and directly in-salon.
Field Sales & Consulting
Around 350 field and office staff supporting salons with personal advice, marketing support and strategic guidance for business growth.
Scissor Sharpening Service
Professional scissor-sharpening service ("Scherenschleifservice") for salon tools.
Community & Events
Active event and community programme including branded trade-show presence (Top Hair), influencer/educator speaker events (e.g. CHI Red Night), and large-scale customer trips (chartered AIDA cruise events in 2014 and 2016).
Strengths & Market Position
- Roots going back to 1956 as a working hairdressing salon, giving the company an authentic trade heritage rare among wholesale distributors.
- Three-generation family ownership (Otto → Hendrik → Björn Rumpfkeil) providing long-term continuity and stable brand relationships.
- One of the largest hairdressing/cosmetics wholesalers in Germany and Austria, with 25+ exclusive brand partnerships and a catalogue of 15,000+ articles.
- Full-service model combining product distribution, retail stores, e-commerce, field consulting, and a dedicated training academy — not just product supply.
- Early and sustained digital investment: online shop since 2000, active multi-channel social media presence (Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, even a branded Spotify show), and WhatsApp ordering since 2025.
- Scale metrics (2,500+ parcels/day, 35,000+ customers, ~350 staff) indicate significant logistics and service capacity for both existing brand partners and prospective new brands entering DACH.
House of Brands
Exclusive Partnership Brands
Salon-Exclusive Brands
Cosmetics (since 2007)
Hygiene & Accessories
Industry / Mass-Market Brands
Business Overview
Markets Served
Germany (core market since 1983) and Austria (distribution built out from 2011).
Sales Channels
B2B online shop, WhatsApp ordering, 18 physical Care for Hair retail stores, and a field sales/consulting team of around 350 staff.
Customer Base
35,000+ professional customers — hairdressing salons and cosmetic institutes — across the DACH region.
Company Milestones
Note: Site distinguishes "Marken mit Partnerschaft" (exclusive partnership brands) from other salon-exclusive brands without a stated partnership; this distinction has been preserved above. No specific revenue figures were published; scale is expressed via operational metrics instead.