1. Product Description: Perfumes are essential oils which are produced in various internal and external glands of certain flowers, leaves, barks, woods and roots. Chemically these oils are mixtures usually of very complex terpenes, sesquiterpenes and other aromatic compounds. Many contain 20 to 30 constituents covering the entire range of organic materials.
2. Market Potential: Most plants from which different types of perfumes can be extracted are found in our country. However, almost all perfume compounds that are consumed in the country are imported. One small perfume making plant tries to produce some types of perfumes from some plants. But it production quantity is small compared to the need of the market. With over 37.5 million women population in the country of whom 6 million living in urban areas, the volume of perfume consumption could justify the establishment of a perfume formulating and producing plant. The plant could be organized in such a way that it grows the plants from which the perfumes will be extracted, formulated and produced.
3. Source of Raw materials: Different plants are the sources of the different perfumes. Based on the type of perfumes to be produced, the plants will be identified in parts of the Region.
4. Process and Technology: All perfumes are manufactured from natural essential oils in which other additives are also incorporated. The essential oils may be obtained from any natural flavoring plant such as flowers, leaves, stems, barks, grass seeds, wood, roots, liquor us and musk. There are basically three types of processes. They are distillation process, expression process and extraction process. Required machinery include distillation tower, essential oil extractor, condensers for cooling the vapors, receiving tank, baby boiler, other accessories.
5. Estimated Investment: For a plant that could produce 1300kgs. of rose perfumes per year, the estimated investment will be:-
Building/shade 150m2 at Birr 2000/m2 = Birr 300,000
Machinery …………………………………….. = Birr 80,000
Working capital …………………………….. = Birr 50,000
Total = Birr 430,000
6. Benefits: similar to other projects.
7. Location: In localities where there are forests or where it is suitable to grow perfume or essential oils producing plants.