Faisalabad, Pakistan – Dutch chemical company AkzoNobel has expanded its operations in Pakistan. A new site paint and coatings facility opened in Faisalabad, situated in the north-eastern part of the country – and regarded as a key industrial centre in Pakistan – at the end of February. AkzoNobel has invested €26 million in the manufacturing plant, which is believed to be the largest investment in Pakistan by the Amsterdam-headquartered company.
Mubbasher Omar, CEO of AkzoNobel Pakistan, said: “[The expansion] will fuel our ambition to diversify with sustainable innovations and enter new segments in the domestic market.”
The new site produces PU-based coating for various applications. The company told: “AkzoNobel Pakistan has a long history of manufacturing high-quality PU-based two-component coatings for a wide range of applications including automobiles (both two-wheeler and four-wheelers), industrial structures and solutions for various industrial applications in Pakistan.”
AkzoNobel’s new manufacturing plant in the Allama Iqbal Industrial City of Faisalabad (Pakistan) is developed as an integrated paints and coatings facility.
The plant aims to meet the increasing customer demand across decorative paints and B2B segments including architecture, automotive vehicle refinishes, electronic components, furniture, domestic appliances, sports equipment, construction, power, infrastructure and coil coatings for steel.
With demand for paint and coatings expected to grow in Pakistan – and considering future capacity expansion was not possible at the Lahore site – AkzoNobel relocated the manufacturing to Faisalabad, in a facility in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The plant’s design accommodates for future expansion in production volumes.
Spread over 100,000m2, the site has facilities for manufacturing decorative paint, wood finishes, automotive and specialty coatings, coil coatings, and protective coatings. The investment also generates employment for nearly 200 people.
Source: AkzoNobel
