AkzoNobel targets growth in Pakistan as new site takes root

A new €26M manufacturing plant with its own forest has been opened by AkzoNobel in Faisalabad – the company’s largest investment in Pakistan to date.

The 25-acre site, which has facilities for making decorative paint, wood finishes, automotive and speciality coatings, coil coatings and protective coatings, will help to meet increasing customer demand across a variety of markets.

Also incorporated into the Faisalabad location is a forest spanning an area of 5,450 square feet. More than 1,400 native trees and shrubs – planted using the Japanese Miyawaki gardening technique – are expected to grow into a flourishing self-sustaining ecosystem over the next two years.

“Our investment in this greenfield site reaffirms our commitment to grow in Pakistan,” says Mubbasher Omar, CEO of Akzo Nobel Pakistan Limited. “It will fuel our ambition to diversify with sustainable innovations and enter new segments in the domestic market, while also providing new opportunities to delight customers beyond Pakistan.”

The site, which employs nearly 200 people, has been constructed to comply with the company’s strict environmental standards and includes a series of sustainability features, such as renewable energy generation and energy efficient design.

“We’ve also integrated agile manufacturing to accommodate future expansion in production volumes, thereby allowing AkzoNobel to be more competitive in the market,” continues Omar. “It’s the next step in continuing to build on the company’s 60-year track record of delighting paints and coatings customers in Pakistan with world class solutions.”

The inauguration ceremony was attended by several guests of honour, including Ms. Henny de Vries, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Pakistan.