The world’s most advanced and sustainable paint factory
IN EARLY SEPTEMBER The Decorator and PDA Chief Executive Neil Ogilvie attended the official opening of AkzoNobel’s most advanced and sustainable paint factory, in Ashington, Northumberland. The new plant, which cost more than £100m to
build, is the largest ever global investment by the decorative paints business and will become the new centre of production for Dulux, the UK’s most popular paint brand.
The factory will be capable of doubling current
UK production levels to 200 million litres per year, the equivalent of 80 million, 2.5 litre cans of Dulux, in up to 33,000 different colours, approximately enough paint to redecorate every living room, bathroom and kitchen in the UK. The Ashington plant uses a variety of renewable
energy sources, including photovoltaic cells and a biomass boiler, alongside an automated manufacturing process which saves water, waste and energy. AkzoNobel estimates that the carbon footprint per litre of paint produced at Ashington will be reduced by 50% compared to the facilities it is replacing. The plant secures 150 skilled jobs in high tech
manufacturing for the North East whilst supporting more than 100 additional roles in the local supply chain. Covering an area of 100,000m2
,
the factory has capacity to expand in order to support future growth plans. All manufacturing technologies within the plant
Neil Ogilvie met with Ruud Joosten the COO from AkzoNobel who gave his thoughts on the opening of the new plant and the implications for decorators’ using Dulux Paint. “A key aspect of the plant is that new processes
mean we can deliver both high volume and small batches and can therefore respond to an ‘on demand’ market. The UK is a key business area for AkzoNobel and Dulux is the ‘superbrand’ for the company. AkzoNobel are in the market for the long term and dedicated to UK customers in trade and retail. We build ourselves on trust, quality and innovation and this plant will deliver this to our customers.”
42 decorator
are managed by a single integrated computer system. All key processes, from the ordering of raw materials to the shipping of finished products, can be initiated without operator intervention. A highly agile production system means the plant is capable of producing paint across the entire AkzoNobel range, which includes Dulux, Dulux Trade, Cuprinol, Polycell, Hammerite and Armstead. Thierry Vanlancker, CEO of AkzoNobel said, “This is
a significant investment in the UK and an important milestone for AkzoNobel. The UK is home to many of our world leading brands and the paint industry’s megabrand, Dulux. It is a vital strategic market for us. We are investing in highly innovative and sustainable production facilities such as Ashington
to maintain and grow our leadership position, ensuring the best products for our customers in the UK and around the world. AkzoNobel’s growth strategy means that we will continue to lead the paints and coatings industry in both the strongest brands and the most advanced technology.” Jeff Hope, Head of Manufacturing at Ashington
added, “Ashington has taken the best technology available globally, improved on it and put it all under one roof. It represents a significant step forward for the whole industry. I could not be more proud of the opportunity we were given to build this site in the beautiful county of Northumberland, and the loyal, committed and hardworking team who successfully delivered this incredible project.”
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