MOSCOW (MRC) -- AkzoNobel has officially opened the world’s most advanced and sustainable paint plant in Ashington, in the UK, as per the company's press release.
The hi-tech facility - which cost more than EUR100m to build - represents the largest ever global investment by the company’s Decorative Paints business. It will become the new center of production for Dulux, the UK’s leading decorative paint brand.
The Ashington plant uses a variety of renewable energy sources, including photovoltaic cells and a biomass boiler, alongside a highly automated manufacturing process which saves water, waste and energy. The company estimates that the carbon footprint per liter of paint produced at the site will be reduced by 50% compared with the production facilities at the plants it is replacing.
"This is a significant investment in the UK - a vital strategic market for us - and an important milestone for AkzoNobel," said CEO Thierry Vanlancker. “We continue to invest in highly innovative and sustainable production facilities to maintain and grow our leadership position, ensuring the best products for our customers in the UK and around the world.
"Our growth strategy means that we will continue to lead the paints and coatings industry, both in terms of the strongest brands and the most advanced technology."
The factory will be capable of doubling AkzoNobel’s current UK production levels to 200 million liters a year - approximately enough paint to redecorate every living room, bathroom and kitchen in the UK. Covering an area of 100,000m2, the facility also has capacity to expand in order to support future growth plans.
Added Ruud Joosten, COO of Paints and Coatings at AkzoNobel: "Ashington secures AkzoNobel’s future as a manufacturer of cutting-edge products, including paints that improve air quality, increase energy efficiency and protect against bacteria. We have taken the best technology available globally, improved on it and put it all under one roof, ensuring that this new facility represents a significant step forward for the whole industry."
Commenting on the new plant, Secretary of State for International Trade, Dr Liam Fox, said: "The huge investment by AkzoNobel in Ashington has delivered the most advanced paint factory in the world, and an important boost to the local economy. As an international economic department, we encouraged AkzoNobel to choose Northumberland because the UK has the right skills base, infrastructure and supply chains to grow their business. Their decision is a vote of confidence in the Northern Powerhouse as a destination for foreign investment, and demonstrates the rock solid relationship between the Dutch and UK economies."
As MRC reported earlier, in December 2016, AkzoNobel finalized the acquisition of BASF’s global Industrial Coatings business, which supplies a range of products for industries including construction, domestic appliances, wind energy and commercial transport, strengthening its position as the global number one supplier in coil coatings. The transaction includes relevant technologies, patents and trademarks, as well as two manufacturing plants in the United Kingdom and South Africa. Approximately 400 employees from BASF’s Industrial Coatings business join AkzoNobel, bringing expertise to innovate and serve an expanded customer base worldwide.
Akzo Nobel N.V., trading as AkzoNobel, is a Dutch multinational, active in the fields of decorative paints, performance coatings and specialty chemicals. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the company has activities in more than 80 countries, and employs approximately 55,000 people.
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