The new plant will become the center of production for the Dulux decorative paint brand.
AkzoNobel officially opens a sustainable paint plant in Ashington, in the United Kingdom. The facility, which reportedly cost more than €100m to build, represents the largest ever global investment by the company's Decorative Paints business, according to AkzoNobel. It will become the new center of production for the Dulux 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 that saves water, waste and energy, according to the company. AkzoNobel 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.
The factory can reportedly double AkzoNobel's current U.K. production levels to 200 million liters a year - approximately enough paint to redecorate every living room, bathroom and kitchen in the U.K., according to the company. Covering an area of 100,000 m2, the facility can also expand to support future growth plans.
All manufacturing technologies within the plant are reportedly managed by a single integrated computer system. Every activity, from the ordering of raw materials to the shipping of finished products, can be initiated without operator intervention, according to AkzoNobel. The plant can produce paint across the company’s entire range, which includes Dulux, Dulux Trade, Cuprinol, Polycell, Hammerite and Armstead.
Ashington will also house the second Dulux Academy in the U.K. The customized training center is designed to provide painters and decorators with the expertise and know-how they need for business success. The first academy, in Slough, has reportedly already trained 1,600 people.
For more information, visit: www.akzonobel.com