Faislabad: AkzoNobel Pakistan Ltd, a leading global manufacturer of paints and coatings, today officially inaugurated its new manufacturing plant in the Allama Iqbal Industrial City of Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Spread over an area of 25 acres with a cumulative investment of 8 billion PKR (approximately USD 28 million / €26 million, the Faisalabad plant stands tall as AkzoNobel’s biggest investment in Pakistan till now.
Flagging off the official opening ceremony of AkzoNobel’s Faisalabad plant were the guests of honour – Ms. Henny de Vries (Hon’ble Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Pakistan), and Mr. Nadeem Babar (Chairman, Shams Power) in the presence of key AkzoNobel officials including Mr. Fred Moreux (Director – Manufacturing and Supply Chain, South Asia Pacific), Ms. Marieke Bleyenbergh (Global Director – Health Safety Environment and Security) and Mr. Mubbasher Omar (Chief Executive Officer, AkzoNobel Pakistan Limited).
“Building on AkzoNobel’s 60-year legacy of delighting paint and coatings customers in Pakistan with world-class solutions, the investment in the greenfield site reaffirms our commitment to invest and grow in Pakistan, with Pakistan. It is also reflection of our confidence in AkzoNobel’s strong market position today, as well as our vision for tomorrow – to be at the forefront of the growing paint and coatings industry,” said Mubbasher Omar, Chief Executive Officer, AkzoNobel Pakistan Limited.
Sharing how the plant is a ‘New Moon’ for AkzoNobel, Mubbasher adds, “Leveraging our global R&D capabilities and expertise, the Faisalabad plant unlocks new value for AkzoNobel. It fuels our ambitions to diversify with sustainable innovations and enter new segments in the domestic market, while providing new opportunities to delight customers beyond Pakistan.”
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The integrated facility manufactures paint, wood finishes and coatings including automotive and specialty, coil and protective coatings. The plant aims to meet the increasing customer demand across decorative paints and B2B segments such as architecture, automotive vehicle refinishes, electronic components, furniture, domestic appliances, sports equipment, construction, power, steel and infrastructure.
“With agile manufacturing, the new manufacturing plant is designed to accommodate future expansion in production volumes, thereby allowing AkzoNobel to be more competitive in the market,” said Fred Moreux, Manufacturing and Supply Chain, South Asia Pacific Director, AkzoNobel.
Improved manufacturing practices enhance productivity while prioritizing safety for nearly 200 personnel employed here. With an intention to be more environmentally responsible, the site also employs various environmental measures such as renewable energy generation via solar panels and energy efficient design”
In a first for AkzoNobel globally, the Faisalabad site also houses a forest spanning an area of 5,450 square feet. Over 1,400 native trees and shrubs, planted using the Miyawaki gardening technique of Japan, are expected to be grow into a flourishing self-sustaining ecosystem over the next two years.
Strongly believing in diversity and inclusion, the Faisalabad site also proudly welcomes female staff for the first time in the shop floor in Pakistan. A separate area houses the ‘Women Inspired Network’ while the wellbeing corner helps foster a holistic approach to health and wellbeing with gymnasium, yoga and other sports facilities.
