AkzoNobel's new paint factory takes root in Pakistan

AkzoNobel has opened a new €26 million manufacturing facility with its own forest in Faisalabad, the company's largest investment in Pakistan to date.

The 25-acre plant, with facilities to produce decorative coatings, wood coatings, automotive and specialty coatings, coil coatings and protective coatings, will help meet growing customer demand in various markets.

The new manufacturing facility also contains a 5,450-square-foot forest of more than 1,400 native trees and shrubs planted using Japanese Miyawaki horticulture techniques that is expected to grow into a thriving self-sustaining ecosystem over the next two years.

"Our investment in this greenfield site reaffirms our commitment to growth in Pakistan," said Mubbasher Omar, CEO of AkzoNobel Pakistan Ltd. "It will fuel our ambition to diversify through sustainable innovation and enter new segments in the domestic market, while provides new opportunities to delight customers outside Pakistan. "

The facility, which employs nearly 200 people, was built to meet the company's strict environmental standards and includes a range of sustainable features such as renewable energy generation and energy-efficient design.

"We have also integrated agile manufacturing to accommodate future expansion of production, making AkzoNobel more competitive in the market," continued Omar. "This is the next step in the company's continued efforts to build on its 60-year track record of delighting Pakistan's paint and coatings customers with world-class solutions."